


To be King

by PendragonQueen09



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Amputee Emile, Communication, Consensual Underage Sex, Cuddles, Dehydration, Drowning, Dukexiety - Freeform, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Knight Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, M/M, Magic, Magician Remus, Monster Virgil, Monsterfricking, Morally Neutral Deceit Sanders, No Smut, Prince Logic | Logan Sanders, Prince Morality | Patton Sanders, Roceit - Freeform, Sorcerers, Soulmates, Stupid Roman, Unhealthy Relationships, Villain Deceit Sanders, logicality - Freeform, no actual sexual content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 21
Words: 49,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PendragonQueen09/pseuds/PendragonQueen09
Summary: Roman the knight meets the villain Deceit and despite his best efforts and no real magic cast, he becomes bewitched by the sorcerer.  Not that Deceit minds having a new lapdog in his quest to become a king, but it would be nice if he were at least an obedient one.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Joan Stokes/Talyn, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 223
Kudos: 216





	1. Meeting the Villain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit and Roman meet for the first time. Roman presents the villain with a gift from the new princes of the land.

Once, there was a villain.

They called him Deceit. He was a ruthless murderer, known as "The Snake" for toying with his victims before their deaths- poisoning them, imprisoning them, suffocating them, but never enough to kill. Only when they were gasping, pleading, and crying for help would he grant them that mercy. He would slice their throat and let them bleed out on the ground, leaving them there to die.

This was a time of magic. A time of kings and dragons. A time of swords and potions.

In a time of war came a love so strong it created a new nation- a love between the Galian prince, Patton, and the Quian prince, Logan. It was unprecedented, it was outrageous- and it was magical.

From their love came peace. When soulmates come to find each other, more magic floods into the world. The magic of their love was pure, the magic of their intentions was true.

The only one untouched by the newfound goodness in the world… was Deceit. 

The purity around him only rotted his heart further. Some believe he became hollow inside. How this happened is a mystery, but theories suggest he was simply too pessimistic for his own good… quite literally, in fact. Some theories state that the villain was only ever capable of loving himself in the first place, while others yet insist it was his lack of his own soulmate that drove him so far into the dark.

Of course, the people making these theories do not know Deceit.

\-----------------

Roman wasn't a prince. Quite the opposite, in fact- he was the most skilled knight in the land.

So why, then, was he assigned to send well-wishings to every home in the kingdom?

"We just know you're positive enough for it," the knight mocked the Galian prince under his breath. "No man would be better for the job," he continued in a lower, more even tone, before exclaiming out a loud screech in the form of a curse as his boot became stuck in the mud, the horse he was leading giving a snort of amusement. "Shut it, you, I'm this close to continuing on my own and tying you to a tree for some bandit to steal!" This received nothing but a few nervous stomps as Roman pried his foot out of the mud.

On the bright side, this next house was his last before he was allowed to head back to the castle- and hopefully the last ever. He planned to sleep for a week after this. On the dark side, said house belonged to the villain of the decade. Why Roman was being made to give well-wishings to Deceit, he had no idea, aside from Patton's naivety- but, it made a little more sense why they sent him, of all knights in the kingdom. He was certainly the least likely to be kidnapped and murdered by the man, believed to be a sorcerer, but if he was murdered, it would be a great loss for the kingdom. He was, after all, the very best.

His thoughts died out as he approached the end of the forest into a clearing. A murky purple lake stood before him. Across the lake sat a black house adorned with gold trimmings, dark wood hammered haphazardly over the windows- otherwise, it looked to be a rich establishment, practically shining in the sunlight. It was a far cry from what Roman had imagined. He urged his horse forward, tugging it along behind him by the reins.

From the water came a splash and the sound of a giggle, but when Roman looked, all he saw were bubbles where the splash had been in his peripheral.

Now thoroughly creeped out, the knight set his jaw, walked more firmly toward the building and rapping with the door knocker- a snake's head, ironically enough, but the thing felt disgustingly real. He was almost worried it would snap shut on his hand.

The door creaked open loudly. Nobody stood in the way. Carefully, quietly, Roman took the invitation, tying his horse to a pillar on the porch after glaring at the lake. "If anything eats this while I'm gone, there will be hell to pay!" He called. "This is not a free meal!"

As another giggle sounded, purple spines poked up from and back down into the water. The knight gulped before walking inside.

Nearly as soon as he was in, the door shut behind him. Not unsuspected. He turned slowly, a hand placed on his sword cautiously.

Deceit was… a lot taller than he thought, first of all. For some reason, the first thing Roman's mind decided to notice about this man was that Roman was gay. Okay, fall for a villain- check. His eyes were a sickly yellow, and Roman barely glanced at them before glancing down, eyes catching on the gloves on his hands, one still placed over the door. He wore no shoes at this moment, but bright yellow socks took their place.

"Any particular reason you have decided to interrupt my dinner?" Came a smooth voice that caused Roman's face to flame, forcing his eyes to squeeze shut so he didn't look up into the villain's own. A suspected sorcerer was nothing to trifle with. He couldn't let his guard down over something so simple. It was a bad decision regardless, it turned out, because a gloved hand touched his chin and Roman knew he was screwed. "My, you are cute…" spoke that voice like a male Aphrodite again, and Roman flinched at the butterflies that caused.

"I was sent here on a quest," he declared, and he was surprised both by how steady and how quiet the words were.

"A quest to kill me, I suppose?" The snake mused, running a finger down Roman's jawline, but it didn't last long as Roman was furiously shaking his head.

"A quest to give you well-wishings, sir," the knight managed, his eyes still squeezed tightly shut, but he felt how the villain flinched at that. 

"Me?" He asked, and Roman hesitantly nodded as the warmth in front of him moved to his side, then behind him. "Do you have any idea who I am, little knight?" He breathed against the back of his neck, crawling a hand slowly up his shoulder to his neck, and Roman was hyper aware that this man could kill him at any time.

"You're Deceit," Roman responded, eyes cracking open as he forced his posture to remain relaxed. "You're a villain."

"Not as stupid as you look. Although, the fact that you're here seems to suggest otherwise."

"I have a gift!" Roman declared, a little too loudly, and the sorcerer's hand on his neck finally paused its ascent. The knight held his hands out to the sides of his head, then slowly reached into his breast pocket- slow enough that the snake could watch as he pulled out a little blue baggie. "From the new princes." He didn't quite miss the snake's hiss, but he still carefully handed the cloth drawstring bag over to the hand.

"... what is it?" Asked Deceit, and Roman shrugged.

"Open it and find out. But just so you know, everyone in the kingdom received one. It isn't poison."

"Of course it's not, they would not be so foolish…" the man whispered, and it made Roman's hair stand on end as he heard the thing rustle open. "... This is-?"

"For me, it's a bird," Roman breathed, thinking of the blue gem that reflected the creature in one's soul. "A cardinal. You-?"

"A snake," the sorcerer spoke as he walked back around to Roman's front slowly, his voice so suckerpunched for air that he sounded breathless, and Roman couldn't help sneaking a glance up to that expression fixed so pointedly on the gem as a smile slowly spread the man's lips. "A  _ coral _ snake." He twirled the gem between his fingers. His expression was almost… soft. Roman had to remind himself again that he was dealing with a villain. That was quite simple as those golden eyes flashed back towards him and he had to look down once more. 

"I suppose I should let you live for this," he mused, tossing the gem up before catching it and tucking it in a breast pocket of his own. "You are free to go, but be wary- the creature in the swamp won't take well to their lack of a gift."

"A creature?" Roman asked, remembering the purple spines.

"They're playful enough, they just have a tendency to get jealous over beautiful things."

After a moment of thought, Roman nodded. "I cannot blame them. If my horse has not been eaten when I leave here, I'll give them mine- it is only a silly trinket, after all. I'm sure a creature stuck in a place like this would enjoy it far more than I."

Deceit looked the knight over curiously, his lips pouting outward- if only Roman had not been too scared to see it. "You are a strange little knight," he declared softly, then gave a decisive nod. "Just tell the princes that this gift changes nothing."

"May I ask what that means?"

"It means-" and Deceit paused, pacing a few steps away. "I want to be king, and that has not changed- they were already well aware of this. I will still claim the title someday."

"What's stopping you now?" Roman asked before he could even make an attempt to shut his mouth, curiosity getting the better of him. His eyes had risen to watch the back of the snake's head, his head tilted just slightly to the side. Deceit didn't seem to have a response for a long moment.

"Trying to find my hatred, little bird," he decided. "Trying to find my reason. I have reason enough- living here is reason enough, and I know I could. If I wanted to, I could slaughter the whole army- I could kill you here." Roman swallowed carefully at the threat. "But it is… difficult to hate those two for a more solid reason than 'they're too good.' As far as I am concerned, I am already the king of this land- I am my own king. They do not enforce laws or taxes upon me. I am my own military. Do you believe I enjoy this loneliness, knight? That I would not wish for a kingdom of my own? But I cannot take one by force when I know the people would obey me for no reason but fear. That is what stops me, bird. The certainty that my rule would never be greeted with love."

"I'm sure you're not that bad," Roman tried, but even he sounded unconvinced, and Deceit snorted. 

"The man who won't even look me in the eyes for fear I will steal his soul? Oh yes, you have so much room to talk."

Roman didn't know what to say to that, and instead of trying to think something up, the man turned and left.


	2. Creatures and Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman meets the creature and finally goes home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine Virgil talks like salad fingers so have fun with that mental image
> 
> Warnings for talk of spiders and gorey imagery in Deceit and Virgil's talk
> 
> Anyway here's a link for what V looks like since I'm bad at describing so instead I just drew it so I could describe it better lol: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PytgxjLH8/?igshid=16tdaithrb3vw

When Roman left Deceit's house, he was quite pleased to see his horse uninjured. Despite his earlier threats to leave the thing, it would be a hassle to have to walk all the way home.

"Did ya bring anything for me?" Echoed a small voice, and at first when the knight glanced around, he saw nothing. It took a moment, but his eyes finally caught on a purple creature at the edge of the lake, peering out with wide eyes from its camouflage. Its hair was damp and dark, its skin mottled darker under the eyes trailing down like freckles but pale purple otherwise. Rather than ears, the thing had fins like ears poking from the sides of its head in the form of three spines connected by a layer of skin on each side. The fingers barely holding it up from the water had long, dark purple nails. 

"Are you the creature the sorcerer told me about?" Roman asked instead, and the fish like human blinked.

"I am the creature of the lake," they answered carefully. "Yes."

"Then yes," Roman said. "Thank you for not eating my horse."

"It was tempting," they admitted. 

"The princes didn't know intelligent life existed in Deceit's lake, but- as every person in the kingdom received one- you should too," Roman spoke, reaching behind his neck and unclipping his necklace to pull from under his shirt. He extended his hand to them, and the creature lowered its face further in the water as he did so before snatching and examining the stone, seeming ready to swim under at a moment's notice.

"... I'm not a person," they finally said, and Roman tilted his head.

"Can't you see anything?"

They looked for a moment longer, chewing the corners of their lips nervously. "It's an insect," they whispered. "But I don't know what. I haven't seen a lot of animals or bugs. They don't like coming near my waters. What is it?"

"I wouldn't know unless you described it for me. It's different for every person."

"Every person?" They repeated again thoughtfully, looking closer. "Okay then, it's a bug with… eight legs, and the top halves of them are purple along with the body… the bottoms are black along with the butt. Kinda fuzzy."

"A spider," Roman said. "A tarantula, if it's fuzzy- purple pinktoe? If I ever return, I'll bring a picture of it for you."

"That sounds nice," they hummed, and the fish person smiled. "I hope you return, then."

"Do you have a name?"

"I call myself Virgil. Deceit usually just calls me 'Creature.'"

"I'll call you Virgil, then," Roman said, deigning to ignore the second half. "I'm Roman." Virgil seemed to look him up and down a moment before nodding, a dark blush riding high on their cheeks.

"I can remember that," they said softly. "You're very nice. No other knights have ever been able to be so nice to something like me. Maybe that's why he let you live." The words were thoughtful, but before Roman could respond, they had sunk back down into the murky purple water and were gone, leaving another echoey giggle behind them.

"... Alright, you've had a long enough break, come on," Roman said after a moment, hopping on to his horse's back and making his way for home.

\-------------

"He's an interesting one, isn't he?" Deceit asked when the man had gone, stepping from his darkened doorway with a hum, and the creature of the lake poked their head out once more. 

"Cute, too," they teased, pulling themselves up enough so that their chest rested on land, grinning with pointed teeth as their spined tail splashed behind them. They rested their head on their freckled hands, enjoying the light blush that rose on Deceit's cheeks a little more than they should. "A pity I didn't drown him. He would have tasted so good, and his head would have been so pretty in my collection! I think I'd miss the skin, though."

"Don't think I missed that," Deceit smirked, and the creature's tail froze, mouth clopping shut as they sunk back into the water so only their chin and up were out of it. "'Oh, you're so nice, mr. Roman sir, thank you for calling me a person and treating me like I'm not a monster-" 

The creature whined a little. "You liked it too, don't act like you didn't!"

"He wouldn't even meet my eyes." There was an almost sad tone in that as Deceit looked away, staring at the path where Roman had disappeared to.

There was a hesitation before Virgil spoke again, tone teasing. "Aww, he thought I was more human than you? How sweet!" At Deceit's lack of reaction to these words, the creature worried their lip between their teeth. "Hey, it's alright- you'll always have me, don't you know?" They teased again, and this one granted them a laugh.

"Oh, and how dreadfully boring it would be without you."

"You know you love me."

"As if I have other choices," The sorcerer said, fondly rolling his eyes.

\-------------

Roman's arrival back at the palace had to be the most wonderful feeling he had ever experienced.

It wasn't like there was a welcome party for him- more half of the other knights hadn't even expected him to return. Word travelled that he was back more quickly than Roman had expected, and by the time he had made it through the city and to the palace gates, they were already wide open for him, a small crowd waiting- and, okay, it was a little bit of a welcome party.

Roman felt dirty, exhausted, and in need of a gourmet meal. He certainly wasn't in pitch perfect conditions to be meeting people for the first time in months, but the clapping and cheering as his horse stepped tiredly through the gates definitely made it feel like he wasn't in need of any of it. He really was an extrovert at heart, huh?

At the center of the crowd stood the princes themselves- Patton was grinning brightly almost blubbering and crying as he hopped in place while holding his fiance's hand- and even Logan looked proud. He had a knowing smirk on his face- when didn't he?- but his eyes were shining.

Apparently unable to restrain himself any longer, the Galian prince released Logan's hand to sprint at Roman- something that gave his horse some light alarm- and, in quite an admirable leap, the man tackled Roman off, cutting off the applause as people shouted in concern and rushed around them.

For a second after hitting his head to the stone ground, Roman didn't understand words, but when he finally managed to he recognized the words of apologetic tears and "I missed you"'s that were exiting Patton's windpipe like a waterfall after the dam broke, he couldn't help chuckling, wrapping his arms around Patton's head and petting through his hair to comfort him.

"Patton, you really can't keep acting like this- you're a prince,"

"I'm a prince, not a king, I can act however I darn well please!" Came the sobbing reply.

"You dropped this," came a third, much more amused voice, and Roman stared over Patton's shoulder to Logan, twirling around the circlet of gold that  _ had  _ been on Patton's head, before the man had jumped and managed to knock it off. "Patton, sunshine, you're getting your robes dirty."

"They can be cleaned," the man protested, snuggling even closer to Roman on the ground.

"Alright, well, I'm sure lying on the rocks can't be good for Roman's back. You can cuddle when he's clean and fed and on soft couch in the palace."

This received a whine, but Patton finally pulled himself off of the knight, a pouty expression on his face as he flopped over, sitting up. Patton's circlet on Logan's wrist, he grabbed their hands and helped them both up before placing it and adjusting it on the now dusty prince's head. No sooner had he done so than Patton was snatching both of their hands and practically dragging them towards the palace, a bright and eager smile on his face.

"Wait, my horse-" Roman cried, and the prince giggled breathlessly.

"Someone else can take care of it, we have more important business to attend to!"

"Cuddles?" Asked Logan.

"Cuddles!" Patton confirmed.

And so, an hour later, washed and fed and living the dream, Roman collapsed onto a royal couch in exhaustion and the Galian prince jumped on his stomach a second later, giggling happily and burrowing against his chest. Logan took a much more composed seat in an armchair a short distance away, crossing his legs and smiling fondly at the two. "So, how was your journey, Roman?" He asked, sipping a cup of tea that had been prepared and placed on the center table for them.

"Exhausting," the man mumbled. "Oh, but, I'm supposed to pass on a message," he added on before he could forget it.

"A message?"

"From Deceit."

"... go on, then."

"He said it didn't change anything. That he still wanted to be king," Roman hummed, beginning to pet through Patton's hair.

"Mmm." Logan placed his teacup on his tea plate, setting it back on the table. "So he took the gift as a bribe, then?"

"I suppose. I told him every other citizen had received one."

"Damn snake."

"Language," Patton muttered sleepily.

"Oh, and-" Roman smiled sheepishly. "Can I have another gem for myself?"

"Why? What happened to yours?" Logan asked in confusion.

"Deceit has a lake with an intelligent… creature in it, and it didn't seem fair to me that they should not receive one."

"So you gave it away?"

Roman nodded.

"That's fine, then. If Patton were fully awake, I'm sure he'd be proud of you."

"Proudd of…. Pancakessss…." Patton slurred, and Roman chuckled.

"I'm sure you're missing your rest, too." Logan smiled. "Would you like to be moved to a bed, or-?"

"No, no, this is fine!" Roman said, and Logan nodded in contented understanding. 

"He does give the best cuddles. Very well, I will leave you to it, then."

"Goodnight, Logan," Roman hummed happily, and the prince snorted.

"While it is the middle of the day, I understand the sentiment. Goodnight, Roman," he said, and Roman took very little time after that to fall into a wonderfully warm sleep


	3. Conversations in the Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman has a long conversation with Logan and decides to leave the castle once more.

Roman passed two months at the castle happily, allowed to take a sort of vacation for his actions. … okay, he was still restless, so he was often spending his time sparring with the other knights in the courtyard. It was… relaxing, in a strange way. Especially since his brother apparently hadn't been in the palace since Roman had first left, the vigilante running off to hunt monsters, according to several witnesses who heard him exclaim that exact sentiment before ramming into the door until someone had opened it for him and he had pretended he broke it down.

Nothing unusual.

Every time Roman had a quiet moment, his thoughts strayed to Deceit.

He couldn't understand it. Well… no, that was a lie. Of course he could understand it. The villain had said he was lonely, and Roman pitied him.

That was all there was to it. That was all there needed to be.

Two months had Roman more restless than ever. He was irritable, moody, and he wasn't the only one to notice it. 

"Spill the 'tea,'" Logan said upon summoning the knight to one of the many small dining balconies throughout the castle. Ironically enough- or maybe mistakenly enough- the beverage of choice for the prince was, indeed, tea.

Roman was half tempted to dump it off the balcony, but he managed to refrain, standing at the door. "You drink that stuff too much," he said instead.

"It's far more healthy than the cocoa Patton chooses to consume."

"I disagree! Protein!" Roman exclaimed, planning (and succeeding) to provoke and distract Logan from his original point.

The man blinked, shifting his body enough that the blue gem on his silver bracelet shimmered in the light. "You don't honestly believe in that, do you? Calcium, protein, vitamins- made up figures! Honestly, the world needs to stop relying on those 'scientists'- if we put more funding into studying the magical arts, maybe we'd actually understand how food works by now, but no- I must do everything myself." He huffed, taking an annoyed swig of his tea.

"What do you believe in, Logan?" Roman prompted with a grin, plopping into the seat across from the prince- it would be disrespectful not to.

"There are only four elements and the most 'healthy' things to eat are concentrations of these elements or even balances between them. You know, the  _ truth _ ."

"Mm? Then your recommended diet for an adventurer such as me?"

The prince's face seemed to light up at being asked for advice, and he held up an eager finger. "Peppers, the spiciest you can find, for fire. Potatoes or beets or other plants in the ground- radishes or roots- for earth. Air is a trickier one, but usually flying birds- ducks, geese-  _ not _ chicken!" He shuddered at the notion. "Water is the purest source of, well, water."

Roman opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed Logan wasn't done. It occurred to Roman then that he had never spent an extended period of time with Logan, and he had no idea how to shut him up.

"Then comes combination laws- regarding this, you need a perfectly even volume of each ingredient in order for it to be permissible to cook with maximum nutrition. One cup of pepper combined with one cup of duck meat, and if you really want you can cook that with a cup of water or a cup of potatoes. Of course, if you really want you can go for taste- but the closer it is to even or ratio-able for every element- for example, one cup water, two cups earth and air- the more healthy it will be, and that's just a fact."

"... of course," Roman said, a little uncomfortable but now morbidly curious. "And, what are you basing this on? Are there books on this style of measuring your nutrition level?"

"Oh, hundreds," Logan said, nodding and grinning more eagerly than Roman had ever seen him. "The system itself is based off of modern alchemy and magic. You see, more powerful spells cast by sorcerers and magicians usually require special stones or orbs. Fire stones, water stones, earth stones, and air stones are all formed naturally in places where the concentration of that element is high, and they are remarkably difficult to obtain. In the center of a volcano, trenches in the oceans, buried in the middle of many mountains, or formed in a tornado. Orbs are much easier to obtain, as they are artificial sources of magic- but they only last once before they shatter. They can be made from a campfire, a waterfall, a boulder, or the top of a particularly windy mountain. Truly powerful spells still require a stone- lest one allows the magic to break free in the middle of a spell. Stones and orbs, just like the elements of a meal, must be evenly balanced for a spell to be completed successfully."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this," Roman managed.

"Modern magic is one of my favorite topics to study. The world needs more magicians, but most don't even know they have the capability for it."

"Do you?" 

There was a pause, Logan tripping over his words, but after a moment his gaze dropped. "I do not. But… Patton does. I can tell. He refuses to even try, worried about 'playing with nature,' but- if he did, I know he could."

Roman gave a low hum, then glanced to the tea in Logan's hand, smirking. "Well, that was quite an interesting conversation, Logan. I don't believe I've ever learnt so much in my life."

"Why, yes, I-" Logan was practically preening, chest puffed happily out before he froze, blinking as if snapped from a spell. "Oh, oh, I see what you did, but you can't fool me like that, Roman." Despite his words, the man's cheeks were slightly flushed.

"I honestly didn't expect that to work for so long," Roman chuckled honestly.

"If anyone asks, it didn't work at all. Now- no funny business- what have you been thinking about? I'm not particularly close to you, but through observation alone, you haven't been the same since…" he considered for a moment, but Roman was already hunching his shoulders and nodding in agreement.

"Since I got back from that trip, yeah, I know."

"Did something happen?" The prince asked curiously, and Roman looked away, towards the gardens below, before turning back to meet his eyes.

"I-" he started, then stopped. "Have you ever known someone who everybody else hates, but you struggle to see the things you are supposed to hate? Somebody… they were supposed to be cold, uncaring, a  _ monster _ , but when you meet them, face to face, you find that they aren't so bad? You find that- something, something feels like it's pulling you back towards them, and you couldn't resist it if you tried?" He was looking away again, gaze distant, but Logan's eyes on him were focused- analytical, enough that the bird could feel them burning through his skin.

"Roman," Logan started, voice soft. "I  _ was _ that person." That was enough to have Roman's eyes snapping back. 

"You-?"

"If it hadn't been for Patton, I don't believe my citizens would very well like me, Roman. Did you never hear of what Quian was like before the Galian family intercepted? If I hadn't met Patton- if he hadn't protected me, I might very well be dead, slaughtered by my own people along with my family." The expression on the prince's face was dark, and Roman's stomach felt like it was sinking despite how sunny and warm the day was.

Roman had heard of the rising strife in the neighboring kingdom, whispers passed from one knight to another that they would go to war- but he supposed when Patton had returned with a beaming expression, hand linked with a quiet boy whose cold, sharp expression like a knife melted away like butter within days of his presence in the castle, if had faded to the back of his mind that Logan had ever been a part of such a kingdom. It was only a year ago, but looking at him now, softly drinking tea with blue eyes that could almost be called warm at any other moment- it was difficult to imagine.

"I never heard the details," Roman whispered honestly.

"With luck, you never will have to," Logan mused in response, and even his tone was now so much warmer than Roman felt. "Regardless, I-" he cut himself off, his hand rising slowly to his lips in thought. "I understand at least one half of the situation. If you want the answer to the question you were asking- if you need it, I'd recommend you ask Patton." Logan looked him up and down, and a small smile stretched his lips. 

"...But I have a feeling you cannot wait that long and were only looking for encouragement or shame. … while I have no idea who this person is, I believe I can offer encouragement. Some people just need to be saved, Roman. If you're feeling the same kind of call I felt after meeting Patton, it will be impossible to resist after a while, anyway." He grinned against the edge of his cup of tea, eyes staring over it to watch Roman like a cat- fitting, Roman thought, eyes flicking to the gem on his left wrist but only seeing his own cardinal. "Bid Patton farewell before you go- he'll be inconsolable if you don't. That is all I ask."

Roman swallowed thickly, skin now buzzing with anticipation.

"Okay."

\-------------

Patton still blubbered when Roman told him he was leaving. He almost didn't let him go, clinging and begging him to stay. It was only when Roman declared that he was following a call that Patton had stopped in place, slowly looking him in the eyes as he sniffled. It was seconds later that he was prying his own hands stiffly from Roman's shirt, using them to wipe his eyes instead. Roman slowly took them in his own hands, pressing soft kisses to each of them.

"I'll be back before you know it, padre," he hummed fondly, and he watched as Patton forcibly held back another round of tears at the old nickname.

"D'ya at least know who they are?"

"Patton, I met everyone in the kingdom, face to face on this last journey. What do you think?" He asked, instead of the answer he was sure would only upset Patton more. The prince nodded, sniffling again and pulling Roman's hands close himself to nuzzle against them.

Not unlike a dog looking for attention from its owner.

Roman's eyes flashed to the gold band on the prince's right wrist.

"I'll miss you," Patton said sadly, and Roman gave a soft laugh.

"I know you will," he said gently, lifting a hand to pet through Patton's hair. "I'll miss you too, Patton."

It wasn't long after that in which Roman was saddled on his horse, waving a goodbye to both Patton and Logan.

The gates that closed behind him as he rode away felt more final than he thought they should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan being super ignorant and stupid is a trope I've never dealt with or seen but you know I'm enjoying it :D
> 
> His tea is a cup of chopped root cooked with water, btw. It is not tasty at All
> 
> Next chapter will hopefully be the start of my real fun =)


	4. Hellos and Goodnights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman returns to Deceit's side to make a promise he isn't sure he can keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little longer than the other chapters so far but not by much! 
> 
> Also updates every two days might turn into once a week thanks to the start of my online classes, but I'll try to keep it on schedule there!
> 
> Warning for deadnaming, kinda but not really ? And mentions of murder but I think that's every chapter lol

As Roman rode on, that feeling deep in his chest- like he was doing the right thing, like he was doing something he should have done forever ago- only grew stronger. If he'd tried to turn around, he didn't think he would have succeeded. Although he'd originally only attributed the feeling to a need to help Deceit out of pity for the lonely snake, he was beginning to think it may be more than that. Logan was right, in the end. If this was how strong this "call" would have grown in the coming months, Roman would have been wholly unable to resist it.

By the time he reached Deceit's home, the feeling fluttered across his skin and down to his fingertips. It wasn't quite a feeling to make him smile, but a feeling to have him… anticipating. Watching for whatever came next with the eyes of a bird seeking prey- or a bird watching for its predator.

From the water, the eyes of the creature darted up.

"You're back," they whispered, almost sounding surprised, and Roman nodded firmly.

"I'm back," he confirmed, his eyes glued to the house, his steps leading around the lake to the door, and the creature swam along to follow.

"Why?" They asked, before any other questions. "You know he could kill you. I could kill you. Why would you come back?"

"I have a feeling you won't."

The creature stopped following as Roman rounded the lake enough to walk straight for the door, tilting their head and furrowing their brows. "A gut intuition won't keep you safe," they mumbled, sinking back into the water so only their eyes were visible, watching with fearful concern.

When the door opened, unlike the last time, Deceit was standing at it. He was wearing a black cloak with golden trim, a small, bowl shaped hat, and a pair of heeled black boots. Roman had to push his initial thoughts away.

"You again," the villain breathed, but he didn't sound as upset as the words would suggest, only surprised. That surprise would be quick to grow as Roman sunk to a knee, lowering his head.

"Deceit," he said calmly, but his heart raced, knowing what he was about to do. He had thought about it in the palace, the faintest tickling of a consideration, and as he had ridden to the villain's home that tickling had grown insistent enough that he couldn't drop it. "Make me your knight," he finally declared, the words forced out around a tidal wave of nerves in his chest. "Let me serve you, and you alone. Where others see you as a villain, I cannot. Make me your ally, use me as a pawn, and throw me away if you see fit," he demanded, terrified that Deceit would do just that and all he would see before darkness would be the creature of the lake's teeth. 

Logan had said that Patton had changed him for the better, and Roman himself had seen the results of that change. If he wanted to treat the villain to a similar effect, he needed to be close enough to do so.

It wasn't lying, not really. Roman would become the snake's tool to use, and in turn, he would gain a location by his side where he could talk the man down from foolhardy plans that would truly harm the kingdom. Deceit would gain a companion, and Roman would slowly convert the villain into a not quite regular citizen.

Just as long as he succeeded.

Fearfully enough, but with a dedication Roman was rarely aware he possessed, the bird snapped his head up, meeting Deceit's eyes firmly for the first time. "From here on, I am your soldier," he forced the words to be strong rather than the breath they almost came out as.

Those golden eyes were much more beautiful in the sunlight, Roman thought. In the dark, they looked a sickly yellow, like an illness on a dying knight's skin. Here, with the light of the sunset reflected in them, they shined with a thousand orange lights.

Just as long as Roman remembered that his actions were out of pity. As long as he didn't get lost in the villain's gaze so long that he turned to stone, or worse, a marionette, only here to be manipulated to Deceit's will.

If he got lost there, he might never find a way out.

"Little bird," Deceit breathed, snapping Roman out of his thoughts, eyes lidding slightly as a small smirk grew across his face, and when he extended a hand to his face Roman flinched back, but it only combed softly through the hair on the side of his head. "You're shaking."

Oh. So he was.

"It is not a sign of hesitance," Roman promised, shifting forward on his knee with determination, "but a sign of reverence."

"A sign of fear?" Deceit quirked a brow, and Roman gave a slow, careful nod in response, unable to lie to the pointed question. The snake hummed. "And yet, you would pledge yourself to me anyway. Terrified as you are… cute, just as I thought." Roman's cheeks flushed brilliantly, but it didn't seem to deter the villain- in fact, it only seemed to make him happier with the idea of this new arrangement. "Alright, little knight, I'll give you a chance," he said, that smirk growing wider as he spun around, tossing a comment over his shoulder. "Try not to upset me." With a clack of heels against near rotting wood, Deceit walked back inside. Roman only risked a glance back at the creature, beaming with sharp teeth, before he followed.

The moment the door closed behind him, Deceit was facing him, barely a few feet away, his arms crossed. "Remove your armour," he ordered, "and any weapons you have on hand. While I have agreed to this, I will still be taking precautions to ensure I am not assassinated in my own home." He nodded as Roman followed the demands without question, armour carefully being placed on the floor and leaving him in a white tunic with black pants and red boots, his necklace seen over the tunic itself. The way Deceit visibly relaxed as Roman removed his only defensive and offensive methods made the vulnerable feeling when he was done worthwhile.

"There's a good birdy," the villain praised almost mockingly, but it still had Roman's face flushing happily once more, a smile fought to stay off of his expression. "You can follow an order."

"Unless I disagree with your logic, Deceit, I will never disobey. I am your tool now," Roman declared firmly, making the decision to establish early on that he would not follow every order he was given. Such a promise might lead to an angered Deceit later.

"And what a pretty one, indeed," the snake purred. It was beginning to get hard to remove that blush for even a second. Deceit stepped closer. "Would you kill for me, my knight?"

Roman swallowed. "I would."

"Would you die?" Another step.

"I would." Without hesitation, he realized with a feeling he couldn't quite identify. Roman stood straight, but as the villain approached closer his neck slanted up just the slight bit necessary to keep their eyes locked together.

A third step, and now their faces were close enough that Roman was sure the snake could hear his hammering heart, sure he could read the thoughts in Roman's mind that ordered him to seal the gap.

"Would you kill the princes?" Deceit asked, tilting the knight's chin up, and Roman finally faltered, lashes fluttering in a way that made the snake smirk.

"No," Roman finally said, his tone solid, and Deceit hummed interestedly. 

"And whyever not?" He asked, the fingers on Roman's chin tickling down to his neck. There wasn't even a hold, wasn't even a grip, but Roman found it hard to breathe anyway. Difficult to think.

"By your own logic, when we first met, it would not benefit you in the slightest. The princes are good to the people, and killing them would only result in an uprising against you." Roman blinked once. "I will not do anything that you would not do yourself, unless it is something you will not do because it puts your life in danger."

"Is that the only reason, little bird?"

"They are my friends, but my loyalties to you lie higher."

Deceit gave a sweet noise, quirking a brow as his hand rested on Roman's neck a moment longer, giving a soft squeeze before he finally stepped away and Roman realized he could breathe again.

"Very well," said the snake. "I trust you, knight. Do not betray that, or you will regret it more than any knight that has ever come to kill me."

"I did not plan on it, my King."

"Oh, I do love the sound of that," Deceit purred, and the knight managed a short smile for just a moment. The praise in the villain's voice made Roman feel fluttery, but he quickly decided the feeling was  _ only _ because he had won more of Deceit's trust with the term. 

_ Nothing more. _

"I'll be sure to use the term more often," Roman said carefully. There was a grin on Deceit's face that made him a little uneasy.

"Yes, of course, as in… every time you refer to me, I think," the snake suggested in a way that was not a suggestion. 

"You would rather I didn't refer to you by name?"

"Oh, honey, you really think my name is Deceit?" The villain chuckled lowly, making the hair on the back of Roman's neck prickle.

"... point taken," Roman responded simply.

"Point taken…?" Deceit said, trailing off with a grin that both made Roman want to punch him in the face and, for some reason, kiss him even more.

"Point taken, my king," the knight huffed out regardless, eyes narrowing in minor annoyance. Deceit definitely noticed, because his grin grew a fraction bigger before he turned and began leading Roman to… apparently, the kitchen, where a lovely smell hung in the air. The snake seemed to hustle around for a moment, pulling out a dish and filling it with… food, Roman assumed, but the noodles from the pot above the fire looked very little like any food he'd ever seen.

It still smelled delicious.

"Here," the villain exclaimed after pouring a thick black substance on top of the noodles, which, upon closer inspection, actually appeared to be slightly writhing tentacles. Roman wasn't sure if he should feel impressed that such a thing smelled so good or sick. As Deceit plopped the wooden bowl on the table, Roman was shaken from his thoughts. "I already ate," the man said, leaning back and crossing his arms, "but you have been traveling on horseback for who knows how long, and I doubt you've had the chance. So…" he trailed, smirking and brushing fingers through the back of Roman's hair before pulling a fist of it in a tug. " _ Eat. _ " He demanded, yellow eyes narrowing sharply.

Unable to pull up the confidence to argue that the thing he was supposed to eat was still alive, Roman obeyed.

The thing tasted just as lovely as it smelled.

It still made Roman a little queasy.

"Now, we go feed the creature," Deceit said once Roman had finished, pulling the pot off of the withering fire with a couple of oven mitts, and Roman hurried to follow as he quickly made his way out the door.

"You mean Virgil?"

"Ugh, did they really try to give you that? No. They do not have a name. They only got that from one of the knights they ate that they thought looked pretty, and it stuck with them."

"Well, but…" Roman tried, tilting his head in an attempt to figure out why it made sense. "Even a name they chose is better than just calling them 'creature,' right?"

"... maybe," Deceit acquiesced, but he didn't seem fully convinced, and Roman knew he was going to have to think of more excuses for the creature of the lake before Deceit would accept the name they chose. "It's too human for them," he finally said.

"Too human?"

"Yes. They aren't human, they're a monster. They enjoy pretending to be something they're not. I don't want them to break when-" he faltered, then sealed his lips. "Nevermind." He kicked open his door with surprising ease. "Creature!" He called, but Virgil was already swimming in circles at the edge of the lake, jumping in and out excitedly like a dolphin and Roman finally got his first view of the creature's body. Oddly, it was less terrifying than he had imagined.

Deceit, rather than placing the pot at the edge of the water, simply dumped it in, and Virgil finally calmed down as they began to eat it by sucking up each of the tentacles individually, appearing all too happy as they ate their meal.

Deceit didn't say a word as he went back inside, and the creature barely spared Roman a glance. 

"Your room is this way," Deceit declared after setting the pot back in the kitchen, and Roman faltered. 

"... I get a room?"

"What, did you expect I would have you sleep outside? Do not be dense, Roman, I am not so cruel," he said, having quickly made his way up a flight of stairs and opened a door to a room that… looked cozy enough, if a little dated and covered in spiderwebs. "This was meant to be a guest room, when I first started living here," Deceit said, his voice somewhat cold and distant. "Obviously, it has never been used, but you may make yourself at home. By the way, may I cook your horse? Ingredients are impossible to come by around here, and that thing won't survive long out there anyway, with the creature. I give it two days if you say no."

"What? Oh, uhm," Roman considered it for a moment. It… wasn't like he planned to go anywhere, anytime soon, and although the horse was a battle horse, Deceit was right- it wasn't like it would survive around here. "Either cook it or let it go, but don't tell me which you decide," he said, rolling his shoulders, and Deceit blinked before nodding.

"Alright. Then…" he glanced out the window to where the sky was, by now, a dark blue, the sliver of orange barely on the horizon. "Goodnight, Roman," he said simply, and the knight smiled softly at the way the blue light made Deceit's eyes shine in a completely different way than the light from the sun did. Like they were oceans, twinkling a pale green. 

"Goodnight, my King," Roman responded, and the door shut.


	5. Who gave him a Staff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dropping back in on Logan and Patton. Oh, and Remus. Yeah, he exists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw incest jokes because Remus  
> Also cursing, because... Remus

Logan dropped the papers he had been holding back onto his desk with a shaky hand and a sigh, rubbing his temples after a moment and closing his eyes to push back the oncoming headache for at least another couple of hours.

Roman had departed earlier that day, and the castle did seem quite quiet without the rambunctious knight- but it still wasn't quiet enough.

The twinkling of birds outside the windows made Logan give a growl, slowly standing and marching over to the things to slam them shut. Long fingers latched onto the handles, a scowl on his face as he prepared to throw them shut- but he paused, enchanted by the sight outside, and instead of shutting the windows, he leaned carefully against the sill. His scowl turned to a smile as he leaned against his hand and tapped his fingers to his lips.

"Jessica, I already gave you some-! Hey! Roger, if you steal one more kernel, I'm not going to feed you for a week! That was Gertude's!"

The little waterbirds outside seemed to dance around his beloved, and it had to be one of the most beautiful things Logan had ever seen. Not the birds, though they were a spectacular sight- their watery wings lighter than air, their pale blue eyes practically glowing, and the food in their bellies clear as if they were little monsters made of jelly. They looked oh so fragile, as if you could squeeze one and it would pop like a balloon- but no, Logan's eyes attached themselves to the same thing they held interest in, and that was a man with fluffy brown curls and a brown paper bag that would match if not for the sunlight-stricken blond highlights at the tips, currently attempting to keep said bag from the water birds that seemed to enjoy attempting to wrestle it away from him, despite the man's complaints. 

"If you taught them each to eat out of their own bowl as I suggested, you would have no problems with this," Logan called after watching him a moment, and he was rewarded with an inward, chocolate-chip melty feeling as pale, shining blue eyes flashed up to meet his, pastel pink, golden-freckle dusted cheeks dusting pinker at the realization that he had been discovered.

Every time Logan saw him, it felt like the first time again.

A tiny smile lit up that cupid's bow, and in Patton's moment of hesitation, one of the birds swooped at his hand, causing him to drop the bag and let out a small noise of "ouch!" as it fell to the ground. He frowned a moment at the birds before rolling his eyes and deciding that there was much more important matters to tend to than the squabbling water-birds on the ground. Carefully, he picked his way around them, and the action took away a bit of the steam in the expression he obviously intended to be seductive, causing it to only be comical. Logan had to fight off a laugh, but he couldn't quite fight off a smile as he leaned out the window.

"Why, hello there, handsome man," Patton grinned, brushing his fingers over Logan's on the sill and standing on his tiptoes to be closer to the man. "I don't believe I've seen your face around here~!"

"Patton, we are soulmates," Logan grinned, tilting his head with a slightly confused expression, an eyebrow quirked upward as Patton gave a dramatic gasp and- oh! He was playing, Logan realized.

"I believe you must be mistaken, good sir!" He exclaimed, and Logan's grin seemed to stretch. "I could never be so destined as to a man who looks as you do!"

"You've been spending too much time with Roman," Logan declared, but his cheeks were beginning to dust pink, and Patton didn't miss it.

"But if I could spend all the time in the world I have left with you, I would. I would memorize every feature, I would trace every line," as if by demonstration, he traced his fingers down the curve of Logan's jaw. 

"You cliche-" Logan huffed, and his smile was nearly gone but his cheeks were much more red at the adoration in Patton's eyes. The man tiptoed up further to press a soft peck against Logan's nose. 

"Whaddaya say we get outta here, big boy?" Patton teased, and Logan gave another huff of fond annoyance. 

"I have paperwork to finish, Patton. Just because you enjoy shirking your princely duties to feed the birds-"

"Oh, a break won't kill you! Plus, a trip into town would both assist your mental health and increase the village's opinions of you. While it is important to work, it is also important to maintain a good relationship with your kingdom." Patton nodded sagely.

"Mmmh…" Logan hummed, a faint smile spreading his lips again as he pressed his own chaste kiss against Patton's nose. "On one condition," he suggested carefully, and Patton brightened.

"Anything!" He squeaked happily, eyes practically shining.

"When we get home, you finish that silly stack of papers you've been putting off for paddleball for a week now. Deal or no deal?"

Patton seemed to consider very seriously for a moment before giving a huff of his own and a nod. "Deal!" He whisper yelled, like it was a secret. "Now come on!"

"Wh- now?" 

"Of course! Through the window, I'm kidnapping the prince!"

"Don't say that too loud, the guards will genuinely think I'm in danger."

And, that said, Logan- very gingerly- made his way out the window and down to the ground. 

"I've never snuck out like this, do you think my parents will be mad?" Patton asked, giggling, and Logan's brows furrowed. 

"Somehow, knowing you, I'm almost certain that is a lie."

"Lie, shmy- you ever snuck out, Lo?"

"Yes, just now."

"I meant when you were  _ younger _ , moonlight! You ever just wanted to- to- get out?" Patton paused as he noticed Logan seem to tense up a bit, and after a second, he reached out to grab his hand. "You don't have to tell stories if you don't want to, starshine. I know you don't like to talk about that stuff, but I'm always here to listen if you have any particularly engaging stories!" He winked, and a bit of Logan's tension seemed to filter away as he let Patton gently pull him along.

"Well…" he hummed, and Patton's walk turned to something like an excitable skip. "Once, when I was sixteen, I snuck out," he said, thinking on what to share. "I wanted to see if my kingdom's citizens really were as horrible as my family said they were."

"And were they?" Patton asked, though he smiled in a way that suggested he already knew the answer.

"No," Logan breathed, somewhat happily. "They were kind to me- I told them I was a traveler. It wasn't until- well, until they'd found out I lied that they…" he trailed off, a pout forming on his lips. "My citizens are kind people," he cemented after a moment. "Kind people who don't take kindly to royalty."

"Well…" Patton started softly, pulling Logan carefully out of his mind. "My citizens-  _ our _ citizens are kind people as well. And they are quite aware that we are royalty. There is no need for lies to blend in, my darling," he said, turning to Logan and adjusting the circlet on his head as they approached the gates. "Just be yourself."

Logan wasn't entirely sure what to say to that.

In the end, he stayed silent as Patton prepared them a carriage- on his own. They really were sneaking out. The taller prince smiled a little at that- no lies, hm?

"We need a driver," Logan said with a soft grin, and Patton seemed to pause in his- messy, incorrect, rope-tangled preparations.

"Let's just horse ride into town," the prince finally huffed with a pout, throwing off all of the ropes and practically stomping towards the open gate. Then he stopped in place, squeaking and tackling Logan to the ground behind a pillar to the left of the entrance. Logan didn't see why for a long moment, and when he opened his mouth to ask, Patton pushed a finger to his lips, seriously glancing around the pillar towards the gate.

The sound of a horse's footsteps kept Logan silent, watching. The horse that clopped into the entrance was jet black, silky with armor formed from leather made of monster skin, it's hair dyed with a silver streak in both the tail and the mane. The man riding it was holding the hair rather than any reigns- in fact, there were no reigns to be seen whatsoever. He wore a dark green outfit, a cloak spread over his shoulders and a staff hanging from the belt on his waist. Most striking about him was the plague doctor's mask made of something like bone that covered his face, a glowing eye set in the center, and when he turned his head just so-

"I- Remus?" Logan stuttered, and the man's head snapped his way, revealing that the mask was a sort of half-mask that covered his forehead as well but left the rest of his face open for a smile.

"Oh! Logan! Hello!" He squeaked, swinging off of his horse that gave a vicious splutter before he scratched it roughly behind the ear. "Shit, sorry, I should say 'highness,' or something, shouldn't I? Oh! What about 'your whoreness,' that's a funny one!" He cackled, and Patton blinked in bemusement. Apparently it was enough that Remus felt he had to explain. "Get it? 'Cause- 'Cause you two are over here, on the ground,  _ getting~ it~ o~"  _ He tried, punctuation the words by rolling his body in a hip thrust.

"That is  _ not _ what is happening!" Patton exclaimed in a squeak, his cheeks blowing thoroughly red.

"Whatever," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "I'm just here to see my darling Roro! I heard he made it back from that errand you weirdos sent him on, and-"

"He left today," Logan said simply. 

"He  _ what? _ For  _ where?" _

"To find his soulmate," Patton responded, cheeks still pink, and it was so cute on him that Logan wanted to squish them, but he refrained. When Patton pushed himself up off of Logan, he almost missed it.

"Damn, so you mean I can't annoy him about how we're simply  _ meant to be _ anymore?"

"If you weren't Roman's brother I would have had you executed years ago," Patton finally growled, and Remus actually took a step back as he realized he had gone just a touch too far. Logan said nothing, but he didn't offer help, either, when Remus looked to him. He simply stood up, quirking a brow.

"Oookay, touch-y! Any idea where the loser went?"

Patton seemed to be silently fuming as he glared at Remus, and Logan decided to step in. "How about this- information in exchange for your driving us around town. You see, Patton and I were just trying to- ah- sneak out?" He asked, and frowned as Patton pouted and Remus beamed.

"Ooo!! Good boy over here is sneaking away?! Hell yeah I'll help with that! Damn, Pat, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"It's just for today!" The prince bristled, and Remus' crazed grin seemed to grow.

"Oh, that's what they all say, but once you get a taste of the sweet life, you can't let it go, darling! Now, let's see here-" he mumbled cheerfully, skipping up to the carriage with the very tangled ropes. After a second, he pulled out his staff from his belt loop, the green gem shimmering in the light, and Patton seemed to grow more uncomfortable, latching on to Logan's hand.

Remus started slowly, stirring the staff in the air like he was stirring an upside down cauldron of soup and speaking in a soft voice that sounded reversed as the gem began glowing- the eye that was visible glowing with it, a pale green as the ropes floated to untangle and drop in the right places, connecting to Remus' horse despite its mild complaints and when he was done the carriage seemed ready to go.

"Get in losers, we're going shopping!" Remus exclaimed, cackling as he hopped into the driver's seat, shoving his staff back in his belt loop and tapping a spot next to him. The doors popped open, but Patton resisted a moment longer.

"Refer to royalty with some respect!" He demanded in a hiss, but after a brief frozen interlude, the sorcerer scoffed.

"Yes, your whoreness!" He grinned, eye alight with a fire of mischief and if Patton had been a lesser man he might have punched him. As it was, he had Logan, and a very tight grip on his hand that kept him from moving it so aggressively as he was lead into the carriage.

The prince gave a huff of an exhausted sigh as he leaned into Logan's chest in the vehicle, focusing on the bumps to calm himself. Town wasn't even that far away, but if Remus said one word along the way, it was going to be a long ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Logan does not have any information but he Will send Remus on a wild goose chase to get him out of the palace


	6. Once in a Blue... Chicken??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus drives the princes around town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings!!!!!!!!  
> Mentions of bestialty and sexual stuff with not human things in beginning of the chapter!  
> Other tws for!!: explosion, non important character death, poisoning, murder mentions, gorey imagery
> 
> Stay safe bc this one is definitely more of a doozy than the others even though I've had it planned for like three chapters lol

Unfortunately for Patton, Remus did decide to speak during the ride.

Honestly, the small prince should have expected it. When given any opportunity, it seemed the sorcerer's favorite pastime, to annoy him. To frustrate him. It was some kind of game to Remus. It wasn't just Patton, it was Roman, too, but with Roman gone, Remus' attention was solely focused on the prince. If Logan weren't right by his side, Patton might have actually committed murder.

"You ever been fucked by a horse?!" Came a loud, obnoxious voice from outside after a long bout of out of tune whistling in a song with rhythms that sounded perfectly familiar and notes that sounded perfectly foreign. Rather than an answer, Patton groaned, thunking his head against Logan's shoulder and closing his eyes as his soulmate brought a hand up to pet through his hair.

"'M gonna kill him," he mumbled, and Logan responded with a soft snort. 

"You won't."

"I will!" He exclaimed, in a whispery tone as he pulled back slightly only to have soothing lips make contact with his forehead and pull him back.

"You won't," Logan repeated firmly, cheerfully. Patton blew a piece of hair stubbornly out of his face. "You're too good for that, my sunbeam. You wouldn't kill him, and if he were in danger- true, legitimate danger- you would help him. It's just your way, sweetheart."

Patton was silent for a moment, then his arms came up to wrap around Logan, deciding the topic was better left there but not fully convinced. 

"We must be close by now," he murmured, quite poutily, and Logan shifted just enough to pull the curtain of the carriage aside and peer out the window.

"Ah," he exclaimed, and Patton's brows furrowed. He lifted his head only to have it softly pushed down once more.

"What is it?"

"We are here."

This exclamation made Patton pull back again, shaking his head once in bewilderment. "We're what?"

"Remus," Logan called, instead of answering, and a cheerful- well, for Remus- whistle greeted him. "Do you plan to stop the carriage and let us out anytime soon?"

"You said a drive around town. I'm driving, this is town."

"Well-" Logan faltered. "Yes, I did say that, didn't I?" He mumbled. "Uhm, I did mean, you let us out, occasionally. For the sights. Meet the people." He was answered by a loud groan, but the carriage pulled to a stop.

"Well, why didn't you just say so?!" Came the voice that sounded both cheerful and annoyed at once, and a second later the door had been yanked open. "You whorenesses," he grinned, bowing happily despite Patton's glare. 

"You know, getting fucked by a horse isn't even the best option," Remus, for some demonic reason, continued speaking as they got out. "Sure, their cocks are giant, but you ever tried an actual  _ giant _ ?? Holy shit, are they easy to seduce! Damn, I'm drooling over just the thought! I do recommend it! Oh! But, if you let a giant fuck you, they'll think you 'belong' to them and won't let you go by free will after that. They're pretty easy to kill in their sleep, though, just-" and he made a downward sword thrust motion- "Boom! One of the knives of their necklace, right between their eyes! It'll get your boots dirty, but better than eternal whore-itude… or maybe you'd like that, huh Patton?" He grinned deviously, and Patton really did want to strangle him.

"Lo, no offense, but I don't think I'm as good a person as you think," he said, eyes narrowed, and Remus seemed to light up at the opening.

"Aww, thinking of giant cock instead of your soulmate's? It's okay, Lo, not everyone can compare." He nodded sympathetically, patting the man on the shoulder, and Logan quirked a brow.

"I think it would be best if you stayed in the carriage, Remus," Logan said carefully, and Remus' expression fell into a pout. "Patton needs a break," he explained, "and I'm sure you want to get back to that fantasy of- ahem- copulation with your horse?"

"Oh, I wouldn't  _ actually _ \- monsters are much more fun, and sentient, and don't get horribly scarred from it because I get to kill them afterwards! But I bet you want some alone time with your little hunk, huh?" He wiggled his brows, smirking suggestively, and Logan opened his mouth to respond before simply nodding.

"Yes, alone time would be nice," he confirmed.

"Got it, got it- I'll just daydream alone," Remus said wistfully, hopping back up to the driver's seat and flopping back. From then on, the world was dead to him. It wasn't the first time Remus had entered what they called "daydream mode," and Logan would rather be away before he started blabbering to himself. Patton shared the sentiment.

"Alright," the smaller prince huffed softly, taking his soulmate's hand and leading him off. "Where to first, Lolo?"

"We could eat. After that, we may head to the library, then the animal shelter, then eat again before leaving for home. Just those activities are likely to exhaust our time," he was surprised by a peck of a kiss.

"This is why I love you, always thinking ahead! How about the bakery, it's only a block or so from here?"

"Sweet, just like you." The statement was rewarded with that pretty pink on Patton's cheeks. "Oh- figuratively speaking, I should clarify. I have never licked you."

_ "You could, _ " Patton's mind supplied unhelpfully, and his cheeks flushed further. Remus was rubbing off on him now, and wasn't that just the worst? "I sure hope not," he giggled instead, and his soulmate gave a tiny smile that lifted his heart more than any amount of balloons ever could as his dark brown hair bounced with his steps. Patton really never could get sick of that. He wished he were taller, so he could kiss it whenever he wanted, but alas. "So, the bakery?"

"The bakery," Logan confirmed with a gentle nod, and Patton's grin was broad as he set out towards it.

Straightforward as their plans were, they managed to stick to them. Patton attributed this fully to Logan, who managed to convince him not one, not two, but three times to not veer off course to go look at the butterflies/flowers/toy shop. The smaller prince was sure he was noting every one of these occasions for a future visit to town by the way his eyes lingered on the obstacle after pulling Patton away. He really was the perfect soulmate, and it made the prince want to sigh in giddy. 

With every new place they arrived, Patton noticed the smallest, invisible tension drop from Logan's shoulders. It both made him want to frown and smile. He knew it was because of how accepting the people here were, and he knew he adored being able to give his prince this experience, but… it pained him to know Logan had never felt safe enough to walk his own streets before. Not really. Even in his year spent with Patton, his visits to town were far and few in between. Usually, he declined, citing his work as the main reason. This… actually was probably the longest period of time Logan had spent in town, in  _ his _ kingdom, without guards defending his every move and without fear of his life. But that smallest fear remained, and Patton could see it in the tension of his shoulders.

By the time they finished dinner, it was growing dark. The sun was lit by orange and a pinkish hue, and Patton and Logan stumbled carefully back to their carriage, legs sore after a long day of walking around.

"What- you- what's your favorite color?" Patton blurted out, and Logan let out a snorting laugh.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I just realized! It's been a whole year, and I dunno your favorite color! I wanna know your favorite everything, why don't I?"

"Likely because you're too caught up in that head of yours to realize you've asked before," Patton's soulmate huffed on a laugh, and Patton decided the way his eyes shown when the light source was pink was his favorite ever.

"Is it purple?" He asked, a broad smile stretching his cheeks, and Logan rolled his eyes.

"No," he said anyway.

"Green?"

"No."

"Red?" 

"Dear goodness, no!" Logan snorted, and Patton felt like he was melting.

"You have the prettiest laugh," he hummed out, and Logan paused them both in their walking to cup the sides of Patton's face and press a chaste kiss to his cheek, laughing a little more at the statement.

"And you have the prettiest eyes," Logan responded smoothly.

"Nuh-uh! That's you, too!"

"No, I think-" the taller smiled, making firm eye contact with Patton, and time seemed to freeze as they searched each other's gaze, Patton with a dopey grin, and Logan with a warm smile that… seemed to fade to confusion, the longer he looked. Patton's own grin faded quite quickly at the realization.

"What is it?" He mumbled around the hands on his cheeks. And… Logan made an expression like he'd never seen on his face. Something piteous, and a little sad, but still warm. He was still happy, he was smiling again, but he seemed sad over something he had found in Patton's eyes.

"Nothing, my sweet. You're perfect. And your eyes…" he paused. "Your eyes are certainly the most beautiful, most precious things, so…" he trailed off, grabbing at Patton's hand once more. "You may argue with me about all else, but among us, regarding our eyes, yours win."

Patton couldn't help a pout at that, but he did give a little nod. "Alright. … hey, you still didn't tell me your favorite color!"

"It's blue. Indigo, to be precise."

"Whoah! Ohmygosh, mine is-"

"Blue as well," Logan said, and he was back to laughing. "Cyan. I know, Patton."

"But- but how! Are you a mind-reader?" The smaller looked him up and down suspiciously, but his own grin had almost fallen back on his lips.

"No, we've just had this same discussion three times before."

"I think I'd remember that."

"Yes, I'd think you would too, but here we are." While the words were insulting, the tone was warm with the expression. Patton had the feeling that he could forget it a million times and Logan would look at him the same. They rounded a corner, and their carriage was in sight, right along with a driver who seemed still lost in daydream mode, mumbling quietly to himself before seeming to dismiss the ideas with a shake of his head. 

"Alright, I believe you," Patton agreed easily, tugging Logan as he sped up a little to get into the vehicle faster. He was fairly prone to forgetting things like that, anyway, unlike information that was really important. 

Patton hopped in first, shaking the carriage- and Remus from his daydreams- as he did so. The sorcerer's head came up off of where it had been resting on the thing, and he leant over the edge to see Logan getting in as he blinked fully awake. It wasn't long before a grin was stretching his own lips, and he gave another little whistle. 

"Alright! You guys are not gonna believe what I came up with while you were gone!"

"Spare me the details," Logan said seriously as outside, Remus picked up the reigns and whipped them, skillfully managing to turn the carriage around on the thin road. 

"What's your favorite food?" Patton asked, and Logan began laughing again. "Do I already know that one?"

"Yes, you do," the taller responded cheerfully, but oh- the way Patton scrunched up his nose to think had to be the cutest thing in the world. He would not be giving him the answer while he was looking like that!

Then, suddenly, the Galian prince's face melted with recognition, brightening within a second of the change in expression and pushing closer like a puppy eager to please.

"Chicken-!" He exclaimed, but before he could finish the exclamation there came a great explosion that rocked him into Logan, slamming the man's back against the carriage door and breaking the latch, having him fall the extra two feet to the ground. His first instinct, rather than to protect his head, was to protect Patton, holding the man close as he heard a series of curses and shouting in a voice that sounded like Remus before a voice that sounded like Remus' magic.

When Logan opened his eyes, all he could see was the green of Remus' magic reflecting off of the surface of everything, the man himself holding the staff up where he now stood in the driver's position before casting the green magic at a figure in front of the carriage.

" _ For Quirmy!"  _ They yelled, then swallowed down a packet of powder before the magic sank into the ground in front of them and rocks erupted from it, hitting them in the chest and knocking them to the ground.

"Shit!" Came a curse, falling from Remus' lips as he ran over to the perpetrator, Logan's eyes only then falling on a smoky crater just in front of their carriage and to Patton's side- Patton!

The Quian prince directed his attention back to his soulmate, meeting wide, trembling eyes. The pupils took the form of X's, Patton demonstrating his fear through magic he wasn't even yet aware that he was using as he shook in Logan's arms, terror written into every muscle.

"Are you alright, my love?" Logan asked, and- after a long moment- Patton swallowed, blinked, and gave a soft nod, the black of his eyes swirling back into regular circles. 

Not the hearts that had brought this new trait to Logan's attention earlier, but still better than an X. 

"What a fucking  _ bitch!"  _ Came a screech from the short distance of about twenty feet away, and when Logan turned his attention back towards the sorcerer, he was greeted with angry eyes as the man dragged an unconscious corpse behind him. Patton yelped before burying his head back against Logan even as the man sat up, and Remus threw the body next to him.

"He ate some poison, the fucking coward! Probably knew that when I was done with him he'd be  _ begging _ for death! I would have ripped his eyes out and ate them in front of him- right in his ears, so he could hear every! Little! Detail!" He kicked the body with an animalistic growl. There had to be some credit given to Remus. Although he didn't act like it all that much, he did care about others- in his own sick way. He reminded Logan a little bit of a chihuahua, vicious towards everyone, but when it came to choosing between a stranger and its owner, it always knew who to bite harder. 

Logan's eyes drifted softly down to the expression of resilience on the man's face, and he had to look away- back up at Remus.

"Do you know anything-"

"Who he is? Fuck no. Shouted something like Key-rr-mee, any ideas on-?"

"Yeah," Logan huffed, holding Patton a little closer and dropping his face softly against those curls. "Yeah, I know that much. … can we go home, now?"

The magician froze a moment in place, taking in the energy of the moment finally- the shaking in Patton's shoulders as the prince tried not to cry, the dark expression crossed across Logan's face.

Like in the first days he came back, Remus realized. A wild bobcat, holding tight to it's unfortunate prey and glaring at anyone who approached like they would attempt to steal it away from him.

Remus wondered if Patton knew what his soulmate was capable of, without him. He had the delightful consideration of Logan killing all the servants in the castle, should Patton disappear, and it sent a wonderful shiver down his spine.

"Yeah," he replied, a little bit of a rasp in his throat as he stood there a moment longer, waited for the princes to return to their seats before deciding it was safe to turn his back on the wildcat. 

He stepped up to his seat and snapped on his reigns, silent the rest of the drive.

The princes wouldn't be able to sleep much tonight, even without his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case I didn't make it clear, the reason Logan looks at Patton "piteously" is because Patton is showing signs that he is using magic without even trying and Logan feels bad for him because he won't try to learn magic even if Logan brings it up, he'll be more likely to try and stop the magic in his eyes- which would suck, because Logan thinks the hearts are really cute.


	7. If I only had a Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We return to Roman and Deceit and household chores

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late!! I'm working like every day recently plus I have school work so don't have much time to practice my usual procrastination, but here it is~
> 
> Tw guilt tripping !

Roman slept well enough, considering he was in the house of a villain, and likely surrounded by spiders, and had volunteered his services to said villain without even  _ telling _ Logan and Patton-

What was he  _ thinking _ ?  _ Was  _ he thinking?

The knight woke as the sun rose, and it gave him some time to think over his new perilous position. He carefully slipped out from under the covers, making his bed quickly and tidily before sitting carefully on the edge.

It wasn't really a thought, he decided. That wasn't what drew him here. It was the gut intuition for something. He  _ wanted _ something out of this, but what he could desire from the home of a snake was beyond him. The feeling felt as if he could determine what it was, if he thought hard enough. Like he knew what it was in the back of his mind, but every time he remembered it, he forgot it once more. 

A sigh dropped from his lips, and he leaned back on his hands against the creaky bed.

Maybe it was… something, like a soulmate. But as far as Roman knew, the creature of your heart was supposed to  _ compliment  _ that of your soulmate. A grasshopper and a cricket, a hamster and a Guinea pig- in Patton and Logan's case, a dog and a cat.

Coral snakes ate birds.

It wasn't a healthy correlation between soulmates, so that couldn't be it. … although, dogs were also prone to aggressively chasing cats when they ran. Maybe there was the issue- when they ran. Logan, as far as Roman knew, had accepted that he and Patton were soulmates graciously when they met. And if he ran… Roman had no doubts Patton would pursue him to the ends of the earth.

Then the issue between Roman and Deceit would be…

He was finally shaken from his thoughts as the door squeaked open, and although he tried to regain the trail, it vanished like a line of smoke blown out of the air. Roman was greeted to the sight of those shining eyes once more, and his shoulders bunched upwards to his ears as his fingers clawed into his bed, instantly on edge.

"Ah, you're awake," Deceit purred in a voice that definitely shouldn't have been that immediately enticing for a 'good morning.' "Good. Come eat breakfast," the snake ordered, and Roman's expression soured a little. "What?" Deceit demanded defensively, brows furrowing in a cute pout. "It's porridge."

Porridge. Okay, that was normal enough. The sourness melted away with some of the tension as Roman stood and followed Deceit back down the stairs.

"I was thinking you could go hunting for me," Deceit trailed on as Roman sat down, serving up two bowls of what certainly looked to be regular porridge. "Your distaste with tentacles was a little more than obvious, but if you want what you would consider 'regular' food you'll have to work for it. Deer stay at least a mile away from this place at any given time, what with the creature tempting and eating anything in sight. It's made it quite difficult to secure a meal myself- at least one that I didn't summon."

"You mean-?"

"The tentacles? Yes. It was a scrabby little hell beast, but it tasted better than some of the other creatures I've eaten recently."

Roman didn't know whether to feel impressed or sick.

"Okay, alright. I can do hunting," he agreed, definitely not wanting more of creatures that were, likely, literally from hell. The snake smiled.

"I expected you would. Oh, and I would like your room clean of spiders and webs today. I've had no reason to clean it while it has been empty, but it is looking rather drab around your person and it doesn't suit you." The snake bit the corner of his lip harshly enough to wince before he continued. "I mean, while you are now what equates to a servant of mine, it is still important for you to be comfortable, Roman." The man seemed almost flustered, but the look on his face was a forced, serious and stern expression, so Roman decided not to call him out.

"I'll make sure it's clean," he promised, and the snake smirked and nodded as if fully in control of the situation.

"Alright. And pull the weeds around the edges of the house, I haven't had the chance to, recently, and I'm sure the creature would enjoy the company. So long as it doesn't decide to eat you."

Roman's brows furrowed slightly as he frowned. "I came here to be your knight, not your gardener, Deceit."

"Ah- ah- ah~?" The snake grinned, quirking a brow of his own upward, and Roman gritted his teeth.

"... my king," the knight scowled.

"That's correct. Your king. You came here to serve me, little knight, not to serve yourself, and the tasks I have given you thus far are for your benefit only. Be a good boy and weed the yard. Just for the attitude I  _ should  _ have you wipe down the house, but I'm feeling rather benevolent today." The snake had finished his bowl by now, and he stood with it, walking over to Roman and petting a gloved hand behind his ear. " _ Don't, _ disappoint me," he demanded, tone growing hard for the words, and Roman wilted in place a little more as Deceit took his own- slightly unfinished- bowl and dumped it into the pot over the fire before setting the dishes on the counter.

"While you're at it," Deceit hummed cheerfully, "go feed the creature. You'll be outside most of the day, anyway, so it would only be right." He plucked the pot off of the fire and laid it on the table in front of Roman. "Whenever you're ready, little bird," he hummed before turning back to the new dishes.

Roman's cheeks had flushed in slight humiliation as he watched Deceit, lips pursing outward in a duck-like look. This wasn't what he had expected, nor what he wanted, coming here. He wished he knew what he  _ did  _ want. It would be so much easier to just demand it if he was sure, if he knew. Slowly, the knight stood, taking a pair of potholders that Deceit had deposited and picking up the container of food. As far as Roman was aware, the snake didn't look at him once as he left.

The knight had always been somewhat flighty when it came to situations like this. He was always on his toes, always ready to run when it got to be too much for him- but for some reason, he had no urge for it. Rather than his usual need to  _ escape _ while he could, Roman felt the exact opposite. He felt as if he needed to prove himself to the snake. This impulse came from the same location his urge to pledge himself had come, so the man was hesitant to trust it, but he couldn't resist. It was more of a need than hunger. He needed it more than he needed water, or warmth. To listen, to obey, to prove that he could do what Deceit requested of him and  _ more _ . That wasn't to say he wasn't still bitter about it- oh no, Roman was absolutely fuming as he left the house, but it was an anger that showed itself in the form of rolling up his sleeves and diving into work.

He dumped the pot into Virgil's water, to which the creature seemed to scrunch up their face but eat regardless. Porridge wasn't a favorite, apparently. It made sense they wouldn't enjoy grains when they seemed to be mostly carnivorous.

As Virgil ate, Roman knelt beside the house. He would certainly be missing his pure black pants, and laundry day, but that anger remained and he wasn't going to let dirty clothes pull him out of his headspace to work. 

The weeds went away slowly, all tossed into a pile as Roman methodically worked his way around the edges of the house. He was surprised to find some flowers, not wild, but planted on purpose- though their sorry state would make one think otherwise. Lavender, Roses, tulips and even honeysuckle- Roman's personal favorite- but each looked as if the planter had given them less and less care. Like he had planted them and given up earlier and earlier every time. The bird took note, but made no movement to stop, caring for the plants the best he could as he worked through them.

Seven hours later, Roman had finished completely. His shirt and sash were off by that point, and his skin had turned a dark honey-gold color where his skin was exposed to the sunlight. He was hyper-aware of Virgil's eyes peeking out at him from the water, but he wasn't sure whether the extra exposure made Virgil want to eat meat more or if they were just curious. The knight stood, brushing off his previously beautiful black pants as a splash sounded behind him. There went his opportunity to ask, but maybe that was for the best. His hands were somewhat cut up from unexpected thorns, but he didn't trust the water of Virgil's lake- or Virgil, for that matter, after all that staring- so he decided against rinsing them off.

It had to be around noon now, though, and Roman had yet to receive any water whatsoever. That might have been fine if he were on horseback, but physical activity in the sun meant sweat and sweat meant less water and less water meant dehydration- and the knight was not going to go so far as to dehydrate over Deceit's  _ gardening _ , of all things. He swung his previously white shirt, which he had been using as a knee pad, over his shoulders like it was a towel and made his way inside with a pair of wide, curious, and certainly thirsty eyes.

"Deceit?" He called, then rolled his eyes as he made his correction. "My king?"

There was no response, so Roman gingerly walked up the creaky steps. He could hear Deceit's voice as he approached, walking past his room to trace the sound.

"What do you want me to do?" The snake hissed as Roman came close enough to listen. He peeked through the door where it was open just a couple of inches. A light from an unknown source painted the room blue, turning Deceit's eyes that beautiful sea green, but the furious expression he wore took away the "prettiness" of his image. "I've done all I can. They're changing! You told me they would never change without action, and now they're-"

_ "Haven't you ever considered they're making false promises?"  _ Came a voice that Roman didn't recognize, but no matter what angle he used, he couldn't see who it was that was speaking.  _ "Leading you on. Leading us on. Sweetheart, you know they'll never accept you for what you are." _

The pain that crossed Deceit's expression was unexpected, but Roman felt it like a bullet through his heart. "... I know that," came the soft response, Deceit looking down to the ground now as if he had been scolded. "But they don't need to accept me," he insisted. "They need to accept-  _ new _ magicians! Those untainted by murder. Is it so silly to think that they would-?"

" _ You know I love you?" _

The snake appeared taken aback.

"Of course I do," he responded, his features split in half concern, half… something else. He was shaking his head in a "no" even as he answered, but Roman had a feeling it was less because he didn't know the stranger loved him and more because he didn't like what the stranger was telling him to do.

" _ Then you know I do this for our own good, darling. I won't be able to come back until things are under control here in Quian, but once I get a solid foothold in the palace, I'll be coming back for you."  _ The voice took on a devious hint. _ "That is, as long as you've stirred up enough trouble while I was away. Will you be my good little king, baby? Or do you plan to disappoint me?" _

"I'll be good!" Deceit exclaimed, and he sounded so childish to Roman. "I'll make it easier for you to conquer. We'll make this empire a safe one for magicians."

" _ There's my good brave boy,"  _ The voice purred. " _ What have you been doing lately to impress me, dearest? Being obedient?" _

"Well- yes," Deceit huffed sheepishly. "Sorry, I haven't done much at all…"

" _ That's alright, just as long as you've realized your mistake." _

"I got a pet," Deceit finally blurted out, and there was a pause.

" _ I already gave you the creature of the lake, what else did you need?"  _ The stranger asked, but it had shifted from serious scolding to something playful and teasing.

"It's a bird," Deceit spoke carefully, and Roman quirked a brow, pouting out his lips. "The prettiest feathers, and the most obedient little thing. I think I could tell it to fly around our house all day and it would. It's a little mouthy, but-"

" _ Mouthy?" _ The voice asked suspiciously, still in that playful tone, but Deceit froze.

"Mouthy," he repeated, glancing up with only his eyes as his head pointed towards the ground, a sheepish grin crossing his lips as the stranger sighed in a dramatic way that Roman felt he had to battle against, the hairs on the back of his neck bristling as his "position for most dramatic" was threatened. 

" _ Baby, sweetie, what have I told you about visitors?" _

"Feed them to the creature because it never gets decent meals."

" _ That's right, and you didn't do that because~?" _

"... Well… because… he came here on a peaceful trip, and I didn't want to kill him for- for something he couldn't help being ordered to do," Deceit stuttered.

" _ And~?" _

"And then… when he came back, he pledged himself to me. As his king."

Rather than disappointment, as both Roman and Deceit had expected, there came a squeal.

" _ Oh, darling! Your first citizen! I'm so proud!"  _

"Uhm- he's, he's actually a knight!"

" _ And not a spy?" _

"I'm not that asinine, father, I checked him," Deceit grinned, and Roman blinked in surprise as this dynamic finally began to make sense.

It was a strange thought. Even the most evil person known to the kingdom had parents. He had a family. Somebody had raised him to be the way he was, and was supporting him through it. It was awesome and terrifying.

" _ So, a bird?"  _ The voice asked, snapping Roman from his thoughts, and he listened more closely as Deceit nodded, for some reason insanely curious as to what Deceit had to say about him.

"His soul creature. Mine is a coral snake, he gave me-" and the sorcerer pulled his cloak out of the way, pulling out of his breast pocket- a ring, with the blue gem embedded in it. Roman felt a strange pang at the fact that Deceit had kept it exactly where he'd placed it when they first met- so close to his heart. "It shows, see?" The snake hummed, holding it up for the invisible entity to see. 

_ "... a white cheetah," _ the voice sounded a little lost. " _... interesting. It is a gift worth treasuring. I have to go, sweet, but make sure to keep that new bird of yours close. Who knows what can happen behind closed doors?"  _ The voice gave a soft chuckle that seemed to dwindle away along with a blue hand that pointed immediately towards the door Roman was hiding behind as the blue flaked off into the air. 

As Deceit's head snapped towards him, Roman squeaked, and the absolute outrage in his expression made Roman take a few steps back from the door, tripping over his own feet and falling into the wall as Deceit yanked the door fully open.

"I can explain?"


	8. Lips like a storm, skin like a stream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman deals with the aftermath of eavesdropping on Deceit. Deceit deals with the aftermath of his treatment of Roman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be my favorite chapter so far ngl-  
> Tw yelling, arguing, slamming doors, and some toxic relationship stuff. Dub con?  
> Also uploading a day early because the last one was a day late!

Deceit had wanted to be angry. The snake had  _ wanted  _ to be hissing and ready to strike, but as he had pulled open the door, Roman's appearance flipped some kind of switch in him.

His anger fizzled out as quickly as it had come, lips still parted in an outburst that wouldn't come out as instead of yelling at the eavesdropping bird, he found himself appreciating his body, raking his eyes over every bit of exposed flesh.

"I can explain?" Came a soft, meek and hoarse voice, and Deceit's eyes darted up from where they had been lingering on the skin of Roman's chest to his eyes. There was a blush on the bird's cheeks, too, and Deceit was sure it was a blush of embarrassment.

"Can you?" He tried, making an effort towards his usual, deep-set purr but ending on a note that sounded genuinely curious. How could he regain his control in a situation like this? 

"I just wanted to ask where I could get some water," the knight croaked, casting his gaze downward, and Deceit decided it wasn't fair that his skin could get so tan to hide his blush while the snake's only grew red and painful in the sunlight.

_ I am gay,  _ Deceit silently declared, brows furrowing together as his lips pressed together in their own time. He'd never had to give too much thought to his sexuality, with the only people visiting him being knights with aims to kill him, but with his knight in front of him, looking like  _ this _ , he wished he'd tried to build up more of a tolerance to such thoughts.

His knight. That really was a nice idea, wasn't it?

The snake knelt, and to Roman, his expression was indescribable- stern, in a way, psyching himself up for a reckless action. Golden eyes flicked between Roman's own, and the knight's chest felt like it was going to explode as Deceit tilted Roman's chin up towards him with one hand, his other falling to the floor close enough to Roman's hip that he could feel the warmth as their noses brushed.

"Uhm, uhm- m-my king?" Roman asked, so tentatively, his voice weak and confused as he tried to figure out just what was happening. He wasn't  _ against _ it, whatever  _ it _ was. He had the feeling he would be  _ very _ against it if the snake decided to pull away now that he was so close, kneeling over Roman where the bird felt sure that Deceit could feel his thundering heartbeat.

But he didn't pull away. That last little declaration of his title to Roman had him hissing softly where Roman could feel the air against his lips, and then- the gap was closed. 

Kissing Deceit was a spark. Roman was sure he could feel the magic running through every inch of the man, as if it was ingrained into his body. It was a part of him, as gorgeous as his eyes and as shocking as his voice.

Kissing Roman was the silence Deceit hadn't known he missed. A time before his magic, before his living memory. It was soothing, not like a waterfall, but like a stream. Not like a storm, but like a gentle summer breeze.

Neither of them would have been able to resist kissing again if they had tried.

By the time they were both satisfied, they were out of breath. Roman's hands had clenched into the cloak around Deceit's shoulders and the hand the snake had used to tilt Roman towards him had taken to appreciatively running over Roman's torso, sending more small shivers down the bird's spine with every new area touched.

"D- my king," Roman stuttered out. Deceit fixed a wide, blank expression to his face, looking almost surprised. Roman was sure he was wearing one much the same, if a little needier.

This was what he had wanted, Roman realized. It was a strange, silly little thought, but Deceit overtop of him felt like something he had been missing. Roman could fully understand adoration for magic if this was what it felt like. Deceit seemed like a wild animal. What Roman felt beneath the cloak was pure, unbridled energy- and he was addicted. Addicted to the taste of Deceit's lips, addicted to the feeling of him, like a venom that got you feeling woozy before it killed you.

He was no longer sure if he even wanted to make Deceit "better." Now it seemed he was perfect as he was, and any attempts to "improve" him would take away that lovely feeling of untamed electricity every time they drew close.

Had Patton battled with this? Had Patton pulled Logan away from his wild regardless?

No… Patton liked Logan better, the way he was now. Patton grew disappointed whenever the other prince committed an "evil" act.

Could evil really be so bad, if Roman was staring it in the face and wishing it would kiss him again? Temptation had never been so mouth watering, and a man had never looked so utterly delectable as Deceit looked now, so completely… himself.

The sorcerer was having a somewhat similar set of thoughts.

Roman's body didn't hold the energy he constantly felt. When he touched the knight, he felt the magic that ran under his skin calm down. Deceit never had been the best at relaxing, but touching Roman- even through his gloves- sent pleasant tingles of calm dancing across his skin. He wanted to melt into the other and never pull away. He wanted to forget completely about appearances he needed to keep up, throw it all away in favor of cuddling closer, in favor of kissing him again.

A few other knights that had come here had made attempts to charm him upon meeting. Serving him to a poisoned dinner seemed to be a favorite, and Deceit loved to entertain them in their last moments- but kissing them couldn't compare to kissing Roman. The bird made him want to coil around and never let go, not to strike and kill, but just to hold him there, close to him. The idea of hurting him was lovely when he was so close, but the idea of killing him gave the snake a horrid taste in his mouth. None of them had compared. None of them had made Deceit question himself quite like he did here, with Roman.

He kissed him again, and as he did, he found himself pulling off his gloves for the first time in the bird's presence.

Roman jolted with a squeak at the feeling of cold metal on his ribs, breaking the kiss and wiggling as he glanced down to- to Deceit's hands, four fingers adorned with different rings on the snake's right hand and one more ring placed on his index finger of his left hand. Each had a different gem, and Roman recognized the four as the elements- green, white, blue, and red- but the last held a golden jewel that Roman couldn't recognize. Their colors didn't seem to matter as they trailed across his skin to his lower back, leaving behind them a strange trail of cold from the rings and warmth from Deceit's hands.

The two gave mirrored sighs at the feeling, eyes fluttering shut on Roman's part and almost doing the same for Deceit, though he managed to keep them open as he slowly wrapped his arms around Roman tighter, ending in a position where their chins rested on the other's shoulder.

"My king?" Roman repeated once more, unsure if he was saying it to make the snake pull back or push forward, and Deceit finally shook his head.

"Shut up," he hissed into the knight's ear, "Shut up or I'll bite you. If I hear your voice one more time this is over."

And despite himself, Roman's lips fell shut, biting the corners.

This was confusing. Deceit was confusing. He didn't want this to be over. Roman didn't want this strange, warm feeling to ever end, but the arms around him were beginning to grow suffocating, and there was a careful terror building up in his chest as he realized what the last few minutes had amounted to.

Roman had kissed a murderer and enjoyed it.

Roman was allowing a killer to hold him close, trusting that he wouldn't be the next victim.

With a sick feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach, Roman realized he didn't care if he was the next victim. He had fallen in love with the feeling of magic, however vaguely he felt it through the skin on the tips of Deceit's fingers. He had fallen in love so quickly, and now anything the murderer did to him would be acceptable, would be  _ loved _ , just as much as the sorcerer himself.

And finally, some instinct for self preservation that Roman had thought he lost when he arrived yesterday kicked back in. Roman pushed at Deceit's chest, and when the snake didn't budge he pushed harder, terror rising in his throat as he began to writhe and when he tried to yell it came out as a hoarse whisper. " _ Get off of me," _ he demanded, panic written into every movement, every word, every tiny twist of his expression. " _ Get off, get off-" _

"Roman?" Deceit asked, confused, but the arms around him loosened and the bird flapped more vigorously to get away, shoving the snake to the floor and scrabbling back against the wall to get up. 

Deceit's expression as he looked up from the floor was something hurt, but more in an emotional sense than a physical one. It was hurt, but it was understanding as he carefully pushed himself to his own feet, bare hands held out in a placating gesture but to Roman it just looked like the threat of a spell twirling around his fingers. The bird's heart seemed to be fluttering, so sure that Deceit would never hurt him, so ready to jump into his arms again- but his stomach said otherwise. His brain decreed that this man would kill him without regrets, and he had to get away.

"Roman," said a voice that sounded muddled to the bird's ears, "you're having an attack, you need to calm down," the snake murmured, wishing he had more skill in dealing with people as Roman seemed to struggle to breathe.

"You- you-  _ don't, _ " the bird huffed, anger overwhelming his expression. "You cannot use your affection as a  _ threat _ and expect me to listen to you- to  _ obey  _ you-"

"Little bird, you aren't thinking clearly-"

"No,  _ Deceit _ , I believe I am. For the first time since I  _ arrived,  _ I am. I'm not your  _ pet _ to show off to your  _ father _ . I'm not your  _ servant _ . I pledged myself as a knight. My pledge was to  _ defend  _ you, to  _ protect _ you, but you don't need any  _ protection _ ," Roman spat, and the sorcerer blinked in surprise.

"I didn't think…" he mumbled, "I didn't think. But you're not thinking either. Roman, that- just now, you- don't  _ pretend _ you didn't feel that, knight! You- that was-"

"I-" and the man finally faltered in his panic. "It doesn't matter," he declared raspily. "It doesn't matter, because you're not  _ safe _ , Deceit. You're not  _ good." _

"Good and bad are relative!" He hissed, exasperated. "I moved too fast, I'm sorry, but we can try again-!"

"That wasn't the problem!" Roman responded in his own, chirpy voice. "You're a  _ murderer _ , Deceit. How do I know you wouldn't poison me from two inches away? You threatened me into silence, and I-" his voice broke into coughing, and Deceit's anger dwindled down to nothing as he watched the bird hold a meek hand up, as if genuinely afraid that the snake would move in at such a vulnerable state.

"You need water," Deceit huffed, shifting back and forth on his feet.

"I  _ need _ space," Roman croaked back, eyes brimming with tears that felt like spears as they were raised towards the snake, accusatory as he held a hand around his neck. The silence held a second longer before Roman was marching away down the hallway. He passed his door, and it was only then that Deceit began prancing after him.

"Where are you going?" He asked, a note of panic inflicting his voice higher as Roman leaped down the stairs and lifted his sword from where it was leaning against the door frame.

"Hunting," he responded in a whisper, his voice too weak to go louder.

"You can't, Roman, you need-"

But before Deceit could finish the words, his own door had been slammed in his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roman: I just wanted to ask where I could get some water  
> Deceit: from my mouth  
> Roman: what  
> Deceit: what


	9. Those Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman and Deceit spend a bit of time apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Svs2 but
> 
> I was not expecting Dee's name reveal to come so soon so I planned the in fic name reveal a. Lot longer off. Oopsie, I guess it works.
> 
> Regardless I think some space is exactly what these two need both in fic and out at the moment so what a good chapter to post today-

Roman sometimes wondered what it felt like to be something that wasn't human. What it felt like to be an animal, like a deer, or a bird, or a snake.

When they looked into the blue gem, what did they see? Another animal, staring back at them? Their human counterpart, smiling or frowning or scowling in disgust?

He already missed him.

The knight was furious with this information. He had left only twenty minutes ago, stormed off into the woods without so much as a word to Virgil.

The audacity! 

He slashed a bush with two hands.

If he kept up like this, he would scare all of the deer before he could see even one.

He didn't care so much about returning to that house without a prize. A "hunt" was pretense for time to think.

The bird's head was beginning to hurt and he felt weak and hot. Maybe he should have gotten a drink before he stormed off.

Through a few more bushes, he sat on a stump, gouging his sword into a nearby tree and hanging his head in his hands. 

Was he wrong for leaving Deceit behind? There was an aching feeling in his chest like guilt, pulling him back again with that string, and it was obnoxiously difficult to ignore this time. But… he wasn't wrong. He was wrong for blaming Deceit for past actions, things he couldn't fix now… but it wasn't "wrong" to want space. It wasn't wrong to want time and room to think.

Think. Think.

Stars, his head was spinning.

He flopped backwards uncomfortably, head hitting the ground behind him as his spine craned and he allowed his blood to run to his cheeks and his fingers to trace over his lips, over the lips that had touched Deceit's. The lips that had taught him what magic felt like and made him crave more.

He wished he could tear them off.

Oh, to be ignorant! To be blissfully unknowing to the wonders that Deceit's skin brought with it! He cursed ever meeting the villain, cursed seeing those eyes.

Abruptly, he sat up, and his back popped.

Bewitched! Those eyes had cast a spell and Roman had been powerless to resist! But he was resisting now. He was resisting this strange call that tried so much to pull him back. He was resisting the thought of those gorgeous pink lips and cheeks, resisting the reminders he saw in the bark of the trees of the way Deceit's eyes crinkled when he smirked, just one at a time, never both, and Roman would assassinate the world if it meant a laugh-

...Oh, it was no use.

"I am in love," the knight admitted solemnly, the silence of the woods his only response. "I am in love with a man who kills for pleasure. I am in love with a man whose skin is pale and hair is dark," he yanked his sword out of the tree as he stood, "whose lips are pink and teeth are sharp," the bird slashed viciously at another bush for emphasis to the last word, sending a bunny scurrying to a new hiding place as Roman inspected his blade bitterly. "I've been cursed with a villain instead of a prince to treasure. How should I feel, but disappointed? Even now, I want him here. I crave his presence. I yearn for his touch, to feel the magic dancing through his fingers with the aim to please me before he pecks a kiss upon my nose," The knight's expression, as it had grown soft, twisted in anger. "-but he would only use those fingers to harm me. He would fool me. He would lie.  _ Darling _ , you don't even know his name!" The knight cackled a few moments with a voice that was too dry to be healthy, hysteric but not to the point of tears.

When the laughter died down, the knight seemed more reserved than before, somehow. More quiet. "Perhaps," he murmured to himself, tracing over his blade, though his muscles felt oddly weak and it was beginning to become a struggle to hold the heavy metal up, "he wouldn't. Perhaps he would hold me. Perhaps he feels the same. Or… perhaps, he is enjoying this. Perhaps he did cast some magic on me, and he is loving the fall of Galian's greatest knight." The bird didn't sound particularly upset about this idea, for the first time in the forest, simply speaking in a quiet whisper. "Does a bird have a chance with a snake?" He asked the trees, mouthing the words around near silent air. "Or shall I be poisoned?" He gripped around a thin tree with one hand and spun backwards around it. "Shall I enjoy it?" The bird asked with a chirpy giggle. "I know I  _ should _ not, but the idea is enticing." He scrabbled for the tree with his other hand as his vision suddenly became dark for a moment and he felt as if he might faint, sword clattering against the rocks on the forest floor, but when he returned to consciousness completely he was still holding tight. 

"He is not safe for me," the knight huffed, relaxing a little from his tight hold and trailing his hands slowly down the thin tree. "I know this, yet I still feel drawn to him. He will make me feel horrible, if I allow him to. If I leave his comments unchecked, the snake will pull me into things I will not want." The whispered voice turned mocking. "'Don't  _ talk _ ,  _ Roman _ , don't say  _ one word _ or I'll  _ leave _ you!'" The bird huffed in annoyance, rolling his eyes and finally pulling away from the poor tree. "It will work, if I let it, but I cannot. I..." Roman's eyes widened with a realization, and an abrupt wave of darkness suddenly overcame him once more, making those wide eyes flutter. This time, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the forest floor, down to a pile of leaves that fluffed out around him but did little to shelter his landing as he thudded against the ground.

He lay there for a few seconds, head still spinning.

"That's  _ it _ ," he gasped out after blinking himself back to sleepy, muddled consciousness, the words hoarse and dry. 

When he allowed him to be, the snake was toxic and poisonous. When he remained submissive and content with anything Deceit allowed him to have, the sorcerer saw him as nothing more than an object. A snack, something to devour whole and never see again. 

"Coral snakes eat  _ nesting _ birds," the knight whispered dizzily, just before his eyes fluttered softly shut.

\--------------------

Deceit felt lost.

When Roman walked out, he took something of the snake with him. Deceit didn't even think the bird was aware of it. It wasn't an obvious something, but it was something nonetheless. A vulnerable piece of himself that the snake had never shown to anyone. It was a part of him that he hadn't known he had in the first place. Desire of his own? Absurd! 

Or so he had thought. 

But as Roman had kissed him, the man had learned that he wanted more than he originally considered. He wanted so much more than he could name. He wanted Roman, and he hadn't thought there were things he could still yearn for, but now- with nothing but a kiss and an argument, the bird had pecked his way through Deceit's exterior shell and made him feel true desire again.

He walked stiffly to the table in the kitchen, sitting down as he had to physically avoid the urge to chase after the other.

Roman needed space, and Deceit needed it, too.

Time to… think.

...Why had he kissed him?

The bird was a  _ knight.  _ A  _ royal knight _ . No matter what he said, his loyalties must still lie somewhat with the palace. He had no reason to truly pledge himself to Deceit. At least, none that the snake could see.

… A test, then.

When Roman returned, he would test him. Test his loyalties. 

Give him a target.

But that didn't answer Deceit's own questions.

The snake was confused by his actions. It had been an unarguable urge, a need, a desire. At first, just the yearning to be close to the other. He blamed those eyes. It wasn't magic, he could tell that from the moment he had first touched him, the day they had met those months ago. At least, it wasn't magic that Roman was casting himself. He wasn't purposefully bewitching Deceit. It was more like a curse, magic set on the man by someone else. He was a siren that was unknowing that they were a siren, given a voice of magic without being told of the gift they were granted.

There was no magic involved, but still Deceit felt as if he had been cheated into something without knowing. This seemed especially unfair to the snake. It felt as if he had been caged in, but the cage was a sizable one. It was only when he looked closely that he could realize that he was trapped.

Those eyes.

Deceit let out a breath and thunked his head against the table before him.

They needed to talk, but Deceit didn't have the answers he needed for such an occasion. What would he say, if Roman asked why?

Because he wanted to? Because he felt like it? Because Roman was gorgeous, because every little divet in his skin made Deceit feel hungry. It made Deceit want more, to devour Roman until nothing remained.

He couldn't say that, could he? He couldn't admit to such base desires controlling his actions. The snake was supposed to be Roman's king, wasn't he? What knight would want to see their king act weak?

_ Only a queen, _ came Deceit's traitorous thoughts, and he hit his head against the table once more.

To make Roman his queen. The idea was tantalizing. His father would be so upset that Deceit had raised his subject to his level so quickly after meeting him.  _ "You are supposed to control them, Deceit," _ he would say, " _ not marry them."  _ Not kiss them, but the snake had already done that, hadn't he? He had already touched him. He had already kissed him.

He had already loved him.

Oh, how Deceit  _ wanted _ .

This was such a steep drop. One moment Deceit had been in full control, but now he was plummeting- no, he had plummeted the moment the bird left. He hit the bottom. 

His chest seized with a strange pain, and he rubbed it absentmindedly as he sat up slowly, gaze unfocused on the table.

Well, nowhere to go but up, right?

The snake stood, a sigh barely held back on his lips. He pulled on a pair of bright yellow boots and walked out the door, still rubbing the new pain in his chest as he made up his mind.

The door shut softly behind him, but now nobody was inside to hear it.


	10. Sex, Murder, Both or None

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus thinks about his past and finally begins his search for Roman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW UNDERAGE. This is a big one guys. If you don't think you're up for a chapter with underage, I will leave a summary in the end notes- one summary of the chapter itself, and one summary of the underage bits.  
> Otherwise tw murder, sex, doubt, amputee, just a little implied noncon  
> I will also surround all underage mentions with  
> \---------------- TW UNDERAGE ----------------  
> \---------------- TW UNDERAGE END ----------------
> 
> This chapter also contains mentions of SEX. There is nothing graphic, but once again, if you get icked out by that or just don't want to read it, there is a summary in the end notes.
> 
> Take care of yourself friends <3

\---------------- TW UNDERAGE ----------------

Remus had been 14 when he had first set out to fuck monsters.

Well, the accepted goal was "monster slaying," but the kid knew what he wanted: victims of his own sick sense of humor.

He wasn't stupid, much as everyone seemed to suggest he was. Maybe a little… naive, in his own way, but he wasn't stupid. He just focused his reading on the areas that mattered to him.

Areas concerning, for instance, the reproductive cycle of a giant. Or how long it took a cyclops to lay its eggs after being inseminated. Roman, by the way, didn't even know cyclops laid eggs. Always praised for being the better brother, and he didn't even know cyclops laid eggs! Ridiculous.

The boy trained to be a magician years before he set out- since he was around ten, so maybe- four years of training before he considered himself capable. And he was, capable. He may not wield a sword, but his staff was just as good, if not better- so fuck Roman with a hilt, he could handle himself!

And thus, the teen did. 

He wasn't stupid.

Remus set after the weakest monsters first- a werewolf on a half moon, a goblin, an elf- things that weren't quite human, but wouldn't usually provoke a fight first. Offering himself up to them often ended in disgusted denials. Their brains were simply too human to accept sex from what they viewed to be a child. Maybe he was a child, but Remus didn't consider his "childhood" to be the happiest of places- and he saw no harm in moving past it. It was only a year before he was bored of these much-too-human creatures.

Then came the monsters that would pose a threat if Remus did not attempt to seduce them first- fully grown werewolves, cyclops, giants- holy fuck, were those lifting experiences. At age fifteen, Remus was fucked by his first giant. It took him nearly a week after to get away from the thing that demanded he be its new wife, but after that, Remus found more clever ways to kill the things. Regardless of how much he found himself to be enjoying sex, he wasnt some giant's toy- or wife. The human told himself that if he ever found a giant that let him free instead of forcing him to marry it, he really would- he would put down his staff and refrain from his previous life of murdering giants to become its "wife," ...but the day never came.

It took a full three years to be bored of that lifestyle. 

\---------------- TW UNDERAGE END ----------------

When Remus turned 18, he decided he needed a new challenge. Lovely as giant dick was, there was very little exercise to his brain for it. He wanted something new.

The next challenge, in Remus' mind, was the creatures that wanted sex in the first place. Remus wanted to find the monsters that were just like him- luring young men and women to their deaths with promises of things that would never come. Sirens, fae, and… mermaids.

The man asked around, learning of sightings of sirens and fae and plotting accordingly from the ones who had lived to tell their tales.

With sirens, it was important to be a gentleman- to seemingly pose no threat. This meant no magic staff. They would become too wary and drown him on the spot. Playing his role as an innocent, lost traveler just looking for directions would lead him to a nest. He was sure they would play with him once he was there, and- if he acted courteously enough- release him when they were done with him. His first experience with sirens would involve no murder, but as he managed to grow accustomed to them, he was sure he would find a way.

"Play with him" turned out to be a good term for what the women did. It was around this time that Remus decided he was very, _very_ not straight. Something about these supposedly "irresistible" sirens' bodies didn't sit right with him. He lasted through the strange, somewhat gross experience, but the sirens _definitely_ thought he had some erectile dysfunction by the end of it, and he would never do it again.

So, he never killed a siren. It was a bit of a stain on his record, really- to have had sex with a siren but never killed one.

Luckily for Remus, fae were often rather androgynous creatures. He could do androgynous. 

Fae were nearly the opposite of sirens. You weren't meant to be specifically rude to them, but it was extremely important to be careful- and bring any form of protection you could. Remus was extremely grateful to retrieve his staff for this venture, when it came. Sirens would take a weapon as an insult, or an accusation against them. Fae understood differently. From the stories Remus had managed to dig up, fae usually saw a weapon in the hands of a human as a kind of… necessity, evening the playing ground. It was only when the weapon was made of iron that the fae would refuse to show up at all, taking it as a threat. Luckily, an earth staff was a safe bet.

When Remus was eighteen and six months, he managed to coax his first fae out of hiding. He offered his body to the fae for a night under the pretense of "an even exchange."

Really, he wasn't even sure whether he _should_ kill the creature when it was done with him. Upsetting the fae was serious business, after all- and the murder of one of their own would certainly put him on some kind of fae-blacklist. But that wasn't the reason he left it alive. When given the choice of his own life, Remus cared little to none about his karma.

It was simply that… well, first thing to note, he wasn't getting _sappy-_ Remus would _never-_ it was just… when he had plucked his staff off of the ground and turned back to the creature, prepared to shoot a blade of iron through its chest as it slept- oh, it was so difficult to even think.

The way it breathed, the way its dark hair fell over tan skin and its golden freckles glowed softly on its face, fingers curled gently under its head- it just… it looked so… 

Human.

And it scared Remus.

\---------------- TW UNDERAGE AND NONCON ----------------

For the first time since Remus was five, sobbing to himself over the strange feelings his father's hands had elicited when the man touched him, Remus felt cold, piercing terror in his chest.

\---------------- TW UNDERAGE AND NONCON END ----------------

He laid his staff back where it was, hands careful and curious as he traced one over the fae's cheek, brows furrowing slightly as it- he- they- leaned into the touch, despite their sleepy state.

Remus didn't sleep a wink, eyes locked on the fae where he faced it, breath hitching as it cuddled closer to his body warmth.

How many other "monsters" had he slayed that had been this human? They had feelings too, didn't they? Guilt wrapped itself like a squirming mass of tentacles in Remus' chest. He held the fae close, dropping his urge to kill for the first time and replacing it with an urge to protect.

The young magician felt a weakness that night that he had never experienced before.

When the fae woke, golden eyes blinking up at him, Remus could only give a bashful grin. This smile was returned with one of their own.

How many smiles like this had he missed? How many creatures had he killed in their sleep, never even considering how they may have acted when they woke up?

It was conflicting.

Remus repressed the thoughts.

He didn't try for another fae. He didn't want these realizations to break him, to leave him a shell of himself over the idea that these creatures- these _people_ , they were fucking _people-_ never deserved to die.

He didn't _want_ to think about it.

So he didn't.

Remus moved on to his next target before the week was over.

There had always been an appeal to merpeople that Remus had never been able to place. The drawings of them in all of the sorcerer's childhood books made him feel a strange way- the way you feel when you walk outside on a warm sunny day after being inside for a majority of it. Remus had _always_ wanted to meet a mermaid. He'd never had the particular urge to kill one, but he'd always wanted to meet one.

Merpeople were peculiar creatures, from all that Remus had read. They tended to stick to their own societies, but would willingly invite a human in when they thought them cute and harmless enough. So, somewhat similar to sirens. They didn't take kindly to weapons.

This was especially fine, seeing as Remus wasn't even certain he _would_ be able to kill the creatures- people- should he find them.

That "should" was a bit of a harsh question, considering merpeople didn't exist.

The books Remus read as a child seemed to be the only source of information on them.

"I'm looking for mermaids," he would blurt out, taking a swig of whatever alcohol the bartender provided him with as if he needed even less of a filter. Always they would blink, furrow their brows, and-

"Sirens?" They would ask, and Remus would give an annoyed groan of frustration.

Twenty years ago, he learned, mermaids were endangered. None had been spotted in over fifteen years, and it was generally agreed that they had gone extinct- died out when Remus was the ripe age of three. The reasoning as to how or why they died was a mystery.

In a case like this, Remus wasn't one to accept "no" for an answer. 

So he'd been searching for a year. A year spent aimlessly wandering, searching for any tales- hell, any clue as to how they had died out! But there was nothing. Nobody could give him any answers. All he had were his thoughts, and every day they grew worse- more accusatory.

But that was fine. He had all his life to search, and in the meantime… he could search for something else. A temporary solution to his current issues.

The temporary solution he was sure would lie with his brother. 

Which is why Remus finds himself furious to learn that Logan lied to him about a clue.

"What the shit do you mean you don't know where he is?! Uh, _bitch_ , you wasted my entire day!"

Oh, he knew he should be more sympathetic, but- seriously?

Remus was unhooking his horse, brows furrowed as the two princes clung to one another on the palace grounds.

Weak.

Pathetic.

_Stupid_.

He hopped up on the beast carelessly, flipping his head away with annoyance so he didn't have to look at them.

"Remus, we just-"

"Tricked me, because I'm so _gullible._ Honestly Logan, fuck you! I'm going out to look for Roman. Do you at least have _some idea_ of where he's at?"

"... with his soulmate," Patton piped up after a moment, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Ugh, so that's a no, got it, great. Just _perfect._ You know, not _Everything_ works out like it did with you two! Soulmates aren't the solution to everything! I can't _believe_ you let him go on such a fool's errand to find this imaginary person that would fix everything for him instead of making him solve his own self worth issues-"

"Remus?" Logan questioned as the man turned his horse around, scowling sharply as he was cut off from his rant.

"What?" Remus huffed, a pout on what was visible of his lips.

"Good luck finding him," The prince said, and it was such an honest wish of good luck that Remus could say nothing in response.

"Yeah, whatever, twat," he said anyway, rolling his eyes a little before riding off.

It wouldn't be too hard, luckily enough- there were, after all, spells for locating others. The main problem was that few of these spells involved the earth magic Remus specialized in- at least, few of the accurate ones. 

Remus was sure Logan would question his actions as he left- why so insistent? If he had only visited the castle to tease his brother, why was he still dedicating time to hunt the other down?

Patton and Logan wouldn't understand.

Remus never really did have anyone to talk to. Unlike Roman, Remus hadn't found a "best friend" in Patton. Remus only ever had Roman. His twin was the only one who ever understood him at his softer moments. 

Which was why… Remus needed to talk to him.

The last year had been rough, to say the least. Remus wasn't one to question his own motivations- he wasn't one to question his actions.

After that night with the fae, he was conflicted, to say the least.

He'd been trying to ignore it- absorbing himself in his hunt for mermaids to distract himself from the thoughts, but as it became increasingly difficult to force them down- the questions of _why, how could you-_ he realized he needed to talk to someone about it. And he only had so many options.

The magician hopped down from his horse as he approached a tavern, taking with him a bag of gold coins and grumbling under his breath as he entered. He was a usual here, but still he cast suspicious glances to anyone whose eyes lingered too long, ragged cape fluttering behind him as he marched up to the barkeep.

"Do you know of any air magicians searching for a job?" He requested, jingling the bag of coins as he leaned on his arm on the counter. The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes thoughtfully before pointing towards a table.

"He's not a specialist, but you can ask," she responded, perking out her lips with the tiniest smile.

"Thanks," the man muttered, dropping a coin into her open palm before making his way back towards the table she had pointed at.

He dropped the bag on the table with a clamor, heated, sharp eyes turning upon each of the members as their laughter cut off.

"I'm searching for someone," he hissed, keeping up a strong front, standing tall- but he was caught off guard as one of the men at the table blinked before letting out an airy laugh. His eyes were wrinkled slightly with age, smile lines etched around the sides of his mouth as he grinned up at Remus. He looked both young and old at once- wizened, but cheerful. If Remus had to guess, he'd put him somewhere between forty and fifty.

"Well then you've come to the right place, kiddo!" He beamed through his round glasses, and Remus was immediately reminded of Patton. 

"How much do you want?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement before he rolled his shoulders in a cheerful shrug. "Buy me a drink and we're even. It's not too difficult of a spell, just gotta-" he rose, using the table for help as the two others at the table- both much younger- rushed to his side to help support him as he stood, one holding him up and the other grabbing a cane. Remus quickly saw why as he noticed the man was missing a leg from the knee down, and he took a step back as one of the people practically growled at him to give the older man room.

"Now Kai, there really is no need for that- they-?" He questioned, and Remus blinked.

"Uhm, he/him," he responded, still startled by the absence of a limb.

"He's just looking for help, can't you see?" He grinned, eyes twinkling up at the other, and- Kai, Remus presumed- rolled…

"Kai, he/him." He said.

… his eyes.

"I'm Elliott," claimed the other, sticking out a hand, but Remus took yet another step back, eyes flashing between the hand and the person it belonged to suspiciously. "... they/them."

"And my name is Emile," finally said the man, having gained his footing with the cane. "He/him! What is your name, young man?"

"... Remus."

Emile's eyes widened just a moment, smile dropping a little before he smiled again, somehow warmer than before. "It is a lovely name. I've heard of two young men who founded a city across the sea where one shared your name. With a name like that, you're destined for great things." He chuckled happily, using his cane to limp up to the bar, and Remus followed unsteadily.

"No one's ever really told me that," Remus said softly, a tiny grin sprouting on his face. "More like I'm destined to be a bother."

"Well you can't control the actions of others, just your _rea_ ctions to them! Now, about that drink…"

"Oh! Right!" Came the younger man's exclamation, dashing back to scoop his money off the table before skipping back up to the bar. He dumped a few coins before curiously hopping onto a stool, spinning fully around once before stopping himself. 

He tapped against the bar as Emile took a sip of his drink- of which Remus had no idea what it was. Emile had hopped onto his own chair and given the bartender a thumbs up, which made her rolled her eyes and pour a light brown liquid into a cup for him. So, no idea what he was paying for.

Emile didn't talk again until his glass was halfway finished. This left Remus, of course, very antsy for the next step. He jumped when Emile spoke.

"You're more tense than a wound spring, what's on your mind?" He asked, and Remus gaped a moment. "Why are you looking for someone?" The man tried again, which seemed to spur Remus more towards a response.

"I don't really want to answer that."

"On your way to hurt them?"

"No."

"Kill them?"

"No!"

"Just miss their sweet company?"

At this, Remus blushed with embarrassment, pouting somewhat.

"... Kinda," he huffed, and Emile quirked a brow. "It's my brother. I need to talk to him about something, and that's all I'll say."

"... Alright, kiddo. But remember, if he can't help you- you can always come back here and talk about it. I try not to wander much unless I gotta, and I'm here to help! … now then, how about a spell to take you to his current residence or living space? I find it a lil' more reliable than a spell that just takes you where he is at any given moment- people like to move around a lot, after all! And you can just wait for him there, if you needta!"

Remus blinked openly. "That… makes a lot of sense. Do you know something like that?"

"Please, Remus, I've been a wizard for 25 years! If I don't know "something like that" by now, I might have to be a teensy bit disappointed with myself!" Carefully, the man hobbled off his chair. He closed his eyes and extended the hand he wasn't using to hold his crutch, pointing it straight ahead with his palm out. One of several gems glowed on a bracelet on his wrist that Remus hadn't noticed initially- pure white- matching his eyes as they opened.

The words he spoke were English, but jumbled- twirled like spaghetti around a fork, and Remus couldn't find the exact pattern in the speech before it was over.

"Home. To take brother. Find needs he to his please, him his," Emile said in a soft voice like a request, and a giggle that was even softer sounded in the air. "Thank you," Emile smiled, before shoving Remus by his back more forcefully than the man would have suspected he was able. "Good luck, young magician!" He exclaimed, and when Remus faced out the doorway he saw pure white sparkles dancing in front of his eyes, leading him away.

He took a deep breath, and followed the trail. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter summary:  
> Remus had sex with a lot of monsters, always killing them afterwards until he broke his streak with sirens and then broke his streak further with a fae. He realized monsters aren't much different than humans but tried to repress the thoughts by burying himself in his work of hunting mermaids as his next "victims". 
> 
> We pan to present day where Remus argues with Patton and Logan before setting off after his brother because he needs to talk to him about his lapse in motivation for killing. At a tavern, he meets Emile, an older amputee magician who has been practicing magic for 25 years and uses an air spell to help Remus find his brother.
> 
> Underage summary:  
> \---------------- TW UNDERAGE ----------------  
> Remus has been doing the do with monsters since he was 14 by his own choice. He learned magic to kill them after he does the do with them. Leave no evidence, amiright?
> 
> There is also a small section in the middle where it is implied that Remus was touched inappropriately by his father as a child.  
> \---------------- TW UNDERAGE END ----------------
> 
> Also, Emile was drinking chocolate milk.


	11. Finding a Bird in a Bush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit finds Roman. Remus meets Virgil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw drowning and dehydration ^^  
> I'd like to think this chapter is pretty straightforward!

"Which way?" The snake demanded of the creature as he left his home, pausing at the edge of the lake, and the creature poked their head out curiously. 

"Roman?" They asked, and when Deceit just growled, they rolled their eyes. "What do I get if I tell ya?"

"Not kicked in the face."

"Please, you can try," they grinned broadly with those sharp, pointed teeth- obviously a threat. Deceit only glared until they relented. "Fine, you bore," they exclaimed, diving back into the water before Deceit could make fun of them for the silly insult. Their spines stuck out and went under as they swam, ending at a different edge of the lake and staring out with a look almost like a pout, glancing only once more at Deceit as the snake walked forward. The creature splashed back into the water almost the moment Deceit had entered the edge of the woods.

"Roman!" The snake called as he walked straight ahead, hoping his bird hadn't changed direction halfway through to keep from being followed. 

Deceit would like to say he knew these woods like the backs of his hands. Well, considering he enjoyed wearing gloves, it might not be an inaccurate declaration. While a majority of his childhood had been spent in that house, he really hadn't had much opportunity to explore. His curiosity for the woods had died off before his training for magic from his father had. 

This was evident as the snake tripped and fell face-first over a rather obvious tree stump.

Despite how he yearned to be home, waiting for Roman to come back in his own time, he had the strangest feeling that- if he did- Roman would never return. 

_ I hurt him _ , the snake thought.  _ If he keeps spiraling alone, he may come up with the outrageous conclusion that he was better off in the palace, and then what would father think?  _ That, at least, was his reasoning for the feeling- because all intuition had explanation. Every feeling had a reason, and right now he "felt" as though he should follow Roman's path and bring the bird home. Cage him up, so that he would never leave again. The knight would likely find a good deal to complain about if Deceit did something like that, but maybe it would be worth it.

He shook his head. This forest must be getting to him. It made no sense to lock up a knight- what was he keeping Roman around for if not to be his soldier? A warrior serves little purpose when trapped in the storm shelter.

Deceit's thoughts took him twenty minutes out, calling Roman's name. ...then thirty, then forty, and the snake knew for a fact that Roman must have already found a deer to slay by this point- even he had seen three by now, and he was calling for Roman and stomping up a storm, not to mention making no effort to find them. So he turned around.

_ Did I miss him?  _ The sorcerer wondered as he walked back, becoming more annoyed and flabbergasted as forty minutes turned to an hour, then two, his voice going hoarse from calling and his legs growing sore, and still his bird did not respond.

"Ugh, fine, you leave me little choice, knight," Deceit mumbled finally under his breath as he pulled off the glove on his right hand. The magician flexed his fingers, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again they glowed a pale white. From his lips fell a language that seemed cohesive, rhyming through his little song in the most circular way- and with his middle finger, where his ring of air glowed with his eyes, he painted a swirl in front of him with a center like a target before pushing it out with his full hand. "Roman. Me take to," he requested quietly, softly. The symbol swirled into just the dot at its center before shooting to the sky like a firework. It slammed back down just in front of Deceit's feet, harmless white sparks spattering at the point of impact- and in front of Deceit, a straight path of still white footsteps was revealed, as if an invisible person was leaving them in their wake. The steps paused a short distance from him, turned towards the snake as if waiting, and it was only when he began to follow that they continued- never straying too far ahead.

Through the forest the invisible spirit led him, only occasionally leaving a clawed handprint on the side of a tree for support. Always the snake walked in the exact footsteps, always the snake placed his hand where the spirit had. Occasionally, it played- stepping almost too far for Deceit's feet to reach, placing only two fingers on a tree in the hopes the sorcerer would not see it- but every time, Deceit did. He leaped to land in the footprints, he watched closely for any white markings on any piece of wood he passed. Once, it even leant down to touch the ground. Deceit almost stepped too far, leaning back to belatedly follow suit with the spirit without complaint.

It was ten more minutes of this charade before the spirit finally turned towards him and paused permanently. When the snake stepped into the last two footprints, he felt a cold breeze of air whip down his spine.

"Go you well help friend," he whispered, closing his still glowing white eyes and drawing a simple target with his middle finger directly above his head while he concentrated on not messing up the order of the words. "Thank I you, your was appreciated. May home." He could swear he heard an airy laugh as the chill swept up his spine and into the sky.

The snake breathed a sigh of relief, melting to his knees and closing his eyes a moment to breathe, relaxing himself- but squeaking in a rather undignified manner as his hand bumped something warm, falling back to get away from whatever animal he had touched.

It was only upon closer inspection that Deceit realized it was not, in fact, an animal- but a person. And as Deceit's eyes trailed upward…

"A nap? Really, my bird?" He huffed, more fondly than he intended as he couldn't help a soft smile, forgetting his annoyance in the past two hours as he brushed the hair out of Roman's face. "Oh, you are ridiculous." It was barely a breath as the snake's hand fell to Roman's neck, gently massaging the skin there as he… definitely  _ didn't  _ admire his sleeping form, and the way touching Roman sent a wave of calm through him without his knight even being conscious. He was hot, Deceit belatedly realized, brows furrowing as he moved his hand up to place it on the knight's forehead.  _ Burning. _ A slight panic began to build as the snake realized this, and he shifted to his knees quickly, leaning over Roman's prone form and dropping his head over Roman's chest, facing up towards his nose and listening to his heartbeat as he felt for air and watched for breathing. 

The thumps brought him comfort, and for a moment the snake was tempted to coil and sleep in his new, warm nest- but no, no, something was wrong with his pet. He couldn't rest. Now aware that the bird didn't require CPR of any sort, Deceit moved his hand once more to Roman's burning cheek, leaning just inches from his face to analyze his features and gently slapping his cheek to wake him, though Roman didn't respond aside from a dry, raspy whisper of a groan-

_ Water _ .

Of  _ course _ he needed water.

"You are a  _ fool _ , bird," Deceit gasped out around a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, knocking his head back against Roman's sternum in relief that the problem hadn't been- an injury, a concussion. Lords, what would he do if something had hurt his bird?

_ Kill it _ , answered a voice in his head quite simply, and Deceit waved it off, though he was sure it was true, his urge to hide Roman away from the world growing and dwindling once more.

His eyes caught on Roman's sword a short distance away, and he shoved the thing into one of his own belt loops carefully before lifting his knight bridal style from the ground. He seemed even hotter this close to Deceit, making it quite difficult to concentrate on carrying him instead of just melting into a happy puddle- he had always enjoyed warmth more than cold- but the snake managed. He walked back with his prize, barely taking half an hour with the few breaks he had required. It didn't help that his knight was still shirtless. Actually, this made the walk quite distracting. 

Still, the snake made it home with little issue, a few hours before the sun would set. 

"Guard the house," he spoke up as he approached, his own voice somewhat hoarse by now, in need of water of his own as the creature poked their head curiously out of the water, eyes following the limp person in Deceit's arms. "I need to take care of him, and I do not want to be disturbed. Understood?"

The creature gave a small nod, eyes darting up to meet Deceit's as they licked their lips in a silent question.

"Yes, you may eat any who approach," the snake sighed, rolling his eyes, and the creature trilled happily before shooting back below the lake- hopefully and happily preparing for any visitors as the snake entered his own home with his bird held close, carrying him inside- and disappearing behind a closed door.

\----------------

Remus had been hunting mermaids for a year. A year spent questioning himself, and a year spent aimlessly searching for them with no solid clues in the entirety of the time from anybody he asked.

Well, he did always have a knack for finding one thing when he was looking for another, but the idea of finding something so important on a search like this never crossed his mind. He expected mermaids to be a lifelong search, his one goal in life.

This is why...

When the old magician's magic led him to the edge of a purple pond in the middle of the night, he had no expectation of anything  _ living  _ in it.

This is why,

When Remus hopped off of his horse and walked along the path around the pond to the black house that surely held his brother, only to turn his head and see his horse- his valiant, beautiful, loyal-only-to-him steed scampering off with a whinny of fear, he was more than a little chilled.

This is why…

When a cold, clammy, webbed and  _ glowing  _ purple hand grabbed Remus' ankle to yank him in the water, pulling him under, and the man found himself face-to-face with a merperson for the first time…

The magician didn't even find the emotion to scream as they turned and he was sucked down below the surface.

It took a few seconds for his mind to catch up.

If Remus had known Roman was hanging out with  _ fucking merpeople _ , he would have left his weapon behind! As it was, this person very obviously already saw him as a threat, and  _ fuck, _ this was  _ not _ how he wanted his first encounter with a merperson to go!

He thrashed, unable to cast his magic without the ability to say the words. Already he felt he was drowning. But if there was one thing Remus knew he was good at, it was getting away.

Within two seconds, he'd managed to slip his ankle from their grasp, but the lake was murky, it was dark- and Remus had never learned to swim.

He spun upside down, disoriented, and he felt his wrist snared quickly, pulled deeper into the water.

Every time he managed to escape, he was grabbed again and pulled further. It wasn't long before he was feeling dizzy from lack of oxygen. Finally, his lungs burned too much to allow it, and he breathed in a breath of nothing but water, choking around the taste of death- because if there was a word for what this water tasted like, it was decay. Rotten, horrible, yet lovely decay.

His fingers brushed sand at the bottom of the lake, body going limp finally as it gave up on him and he was pushed so his back was against the ground, the merperson holding him down with a vicious look and a snarl in their teeth- but as they saw his face, it melted into something a whole lot more adorable to Remus- something confused, soft, and a little scared.

" _ Roman~?"  _ They asked, their voice high and notes long like a whale's song as it carried through the water, swishing the glowing purple spines on their tail and flashing the illuminated fins to match- and Remus fell finally into blissful unconsciousness.


	12. Worth Less (than you seem to think)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman and Deceit talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw possessive behavior/speech, threats, mentions of abusive relationship things ^^ also nsfw kinda joke I guess? Mention of sex
> 
> Also! I made a Tumblr for this two weeks ago but keep forgetting to post it with chapter updates!:  
> https://to-be-king-sanderssides.tumblr.com

Roman woke up with an aching headache and a feverish feeling across his skin.

For the knight who had not been sick since he was a child, this was rather concerning.

Dizzily he sat up, only to fall back again and whine at how his headache immediately worsened. He closed his eyes to fight the feeling, raising a weak hand to cover them. It brushed against something colder on his forehead, and he picked it up, scowling in bewilderment at the wet rag for a moment. When the moment passed, he laid it again on his head, flipping it over and humming happily at the cold against his feverish skin.

The bird kept his eyes closed as he took in his own condition.

His lips were chapped and dry, and his throat burned like he had poured fire down it. His eyes stung to open. His back felt scratched and a little raw, his skin felt hot, and he was dreadfully thirsty with a headache to match.

Unwillingly, he opened his eyes again, glancing around the room he was in.

It was rather grand. He laid in a king-sized bed with black sheets and gold lining and even a dark canopy- the rectangular kind that sprouted from four extended bedposts. A light sat above the bed, on, for some reason or another. He could barely see past the thin silky cloth to the room. A window was sat to his right, covered in blackout curtains, and a dresser sat against the wall next to the head of the bed. In the corner in the direction of Roman's right foot was a vanity table, filled with an assortment of goodies that the bird desperately wanted to play with and test against his own complexion, but he kept his self control. The entrance was straight ahead from the bed. The corner his left foot pointed to had a closet door on the left wall, and to Roman's direct left laid a stool next to a bedside table with a black face mask, some fruit, a model of a hand for holding rings, and- oh, the bird had never been so happy to see water in his life!

He forced himself finally to sit up, plopping back against a multitude of outrageously soft pillows and- slowly, carefully- reaching for the glass to sip from, though he wanted to chug it down.

It was only when he finished the cup and laid back, psyching himself up to get up and leave the strange room, that the door opened. In its place stood a man Roman felt he was beginning to know well, holding a pitcher and a small plate of food. There were circles under his eyes, but he blinked them as Roman's cracked open.

"You're awake," Deceit breathed, and Roman scowled a little.

"Yeah," he confirmed, flopping his head to the side. "If I'd known I'd see a witch when I awoke, I might have stayed asleep longer."

"You scared me."

It was the purity of his voice that had Roman furrowing his brows, looking to Deceit again but seeing no dishonesty on his face. 

"Yeah, well," Roman tried, he really did, to keep up the attitude- but it was _remarkably_ difficult. He was at fault in this case. He knew that, he just didn't want to accept it. He was afraid to. If he allowed him to blame himself, he might be sucked into a snake's trap and swallowed whole.

He couldn't trust Deceit, no matter how honest he seemed. His eyes followed the man as he sat down, laying his objects on the dresser before searching Roman's expression.

"... Can we talk?" Deceit asked, and Roman couldn't find an issue with that. He nodded carefully. "I'm sorry," he said first, and Roman was taken aback.

"What for?"

"I pushed you too far. I pushed your boundaries. I should never have kissed you in the first place, that was… idiotic, of me. If I want to keep this a professional relationship, I should not be taking every opportunity to kiss my hot shirtless knight," the snake mumbled, rubbing his temples. Roman noticed his skin was pink and burned, and he felt an ounce of pain. 

How long had he searched for him?

"I'm not calling you my king," the bird spoke up, instead of giving an apology. He shouldn't need to- Deceit was evil. Everyone knew that, Roman knew that, but he was still here. That was the best the sorcerer would get from him. His tone softened, and he turned his gaze to the blankets. "... And I didn't mind the kiss. I- it was, nice. I simply-" _establish boundaries, Roman_ . He took a deep breath. "I cannot have a relationship like that with a murderer. I am here to serve you, but not in that way. I- thrilling as the idea is," his cheeks flushed at the admission. "As much as I adore the concept of kissing a killer, I cannot- _act_ on that. It is morally wrong, to me."

"... could those morals ever change?" Deceit asked, and when Roman looked at him, he saw his eyes shining with something like hope.

"... not if you are hurting people, no. Only if-" the idea came and went as Roman sealed his lips, shaking his head firmly.

_You can't keep sacrificing yourself for others. You can't believe you're worth any less than they are._

"... if?" Deceit prompted eagerly. 

_… but aren't you, though?_

"... If the only one you were hurting was me. I'd be alright with it, if you weren't hurting anyone else," the bird finally answered, his voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. The snake's eyes widened, a dangerous gleam catching in his irises as he gave an expression like shock that quickly fell into consideration.

_This is a bad idea,_ Deceit thought inwardly. He didn't want to hurt people, he just wanted his father to be proud of him- but Roman so freely offering himself made Deceit doubt that he wasn't as much of a villain as citizens seemed to think of him- for the idea of hurting Roman became instantly more appealing than the idea of pleasing his father.

It was utterly impossible to resist the lovely temptation of Roman fully being his. With such an offer, did he even require his father's praise?

Deceit always had been more selfish than he'd ever allowed himself to show.

"Is that all, my knight~?" He purred, and Roman's stomach turned at the predatory look the snake gave him as he stood and placed his hands on the edge of the bed, but Roman wasn't sure if it was a good feeling or a bad one. 

"... Honesty," he breathed as Deceit's left hand crossed over his body to the other side and his knee came up on the bed to tower over Roman further. "Is the cornerstone of any good relationship, and although I know this will not be good- I want to at least have the simulation. You are not allowed to lie to me, Deceit." He gave a small grin, shrugging a shoulder. "And I say the first good step to that should be your name."

The villain froze, just inches from Roman's lips, eyes wide. "... You would never believe me."

This sparked confusion. "What do you mean? Is it a weird one?"

Deceit's already sunburnt cheeks somehow turned pinker as he leaned back, turning his head away and mumbling something against his hand.

"What was that?" Roman asked, squinting towards the other and sitting up just a little.

"I said, it's just Deceit. That's it. That's my name," he murmured, appearing somewhat frustrated.

The bird laughed. "You're lying," he chuckled, but the laughter fell away as he caught Deceit's expression. "You're not, are you?" A pause. "...Deceit?" 

The snake only nodded.

Roman searched his gaze a long moment before giving a little nod. "Okay. Okay, I believe you. That's a ridiculous name to call a child, but I believe you."

"Can I kiss you now?"

"Oh so eager?" Roman laughed again, flopping back, but the mild annoyance on Deceit's expression had him rolling his eyes. "Yes, seal the deal, snake. You might as well."

This kiss was just as magical as their kiss in the hall. Did Roman love it or hate it? He had made himself a sacrifice… but if it meant he could do this without guilt, touch Deceit without guilt- kiss him without fear of the monster he was encouraging- it _had_ to be worth it.

He hummed against the snake's lips, and Deceit groaned before pulling back, just a few inches. Roman was only half aware of his own arms, at some point linked around the man's neck, keeping him close as he stared up at him woozily.

"You do know what this means?" The sorcerer purred, a gloved hand running up Roman's side and over his chest, and Roman shivered.

"I'm yours," he confirmed with a huff, unsure whether to arch towards or away from the touch. "Only as long as you don't lie. Only as long as you don't hurt anyone else. I'm yours to do- whatever you please with."

"I was going to have you kill someone," Deceit hissed against Roman's neck, making him tense up and freeze. "I was going to enjoy it- making you finally follow an order. But this…" the snake's teeth traced his skin, sending Roman into a hazy state without them even sinking down. "This is _so much better_. My father be damned, I can have as many soldiers as I want- but I can only have one willing queen." Instead of biting, he laid a careful peck of a kiss against a sensitive part of Roman's neck, then pulled back once more, unfolding the knight's arms as he did so. The bird huffed for multiple reasons.

"No soldiers, with me. No hurting people."

"I can be a king without being a dictator, my darling," he said, the word falling smoothly from his lips without restraint as he sat straight where he now straddled Roman's hips, and a grin grew over his face. "Here lies my only weakness," Deceit teased. "Do you know how I looked for you? Do you know how I felt when I saw you lying there, possibly dead? Oh, little bird…" Deceit sighed with frustration, running a hand down his own face. "... you make me feel things I've never felt before. I want to hurt you, but I want to spoil you just as much. I want to hold you close and scratch into your skin- mark it so you remember that you are mine. So that anyone who sees you knows, just from the look in your eyes." His voice finished in a growl.

"That's not healthy," Roman couldn't help himself from saying. ... _Appealing, but still not healthy._

"But I could, couldn't I? That's what this means. I can kiss you and hurt you the same and you'll allow it. I could bite you. I could hit you. I could claw at your skin, throw something at you, kick you when you're on the ground. And you know the best part? I would _enjoy it_. Knowing that I cause you pain. I would love every second, and every second after where I held you close and kissed your tears away."

_What have I gotten myself into?_ Roman wondered a little hopelessly, flinching back as Deceit tucked his hair behind his ear with a hum.

"Do not fret, my bird. I do not plan on hurting you right now. If I wanted to mark you, I would use a collar." The snake's eyes flickered distastefully down to his necklace, but he said nothing about it. "... for now, I am surprisingly content with having you here. I do not need any more than that. I assume you are still too dehydrated to properly move about?" He asked, and Roman gave a small nod. "That is fine. I would like you to drink another glass of water before sleeping." He moved off of his knight- much to Roman's irritating disappointment- and poured the water from the pitcher into Roman's cup before putting it back on the table. "I would also like you to eat something- I made cucumber crackers, but you don't have to eat the whole plate. Just as much as you can."

It was such a quick flip from the snake that seemed so excited to hurt him to the Deceit that just wanted to spoil him, Roman thought as he sipped at his cup, removing the cloth from his head to put on the table instead. Like they were two different people- both of them obsessed with the knight to the point of weakness. It was… somewhat flattering, in the strangest possible way.

The bird's eyes drifted to Deceit now only to squeak and look away as he caught sight of more pale skin than he'd seen of the man yet as he undressed.

"Uhm, you, what- what are you doing?" Roman asked, still refusing to glance, and there was a pause in his peripheral.

"This… _is_ my bedroom," the snake decreed. "And as you cannot go to your own without being carried- an action that would take you out of my sights and raise my concern for you- I thought it no issue that we sleep together."

" _Together?"_ The bird tweeted again before shooting a hand up to his own mouth. He could feel his own cheeks growing dark and flushed and if he had looked to Deceit he would have seen a smirk on the now-shirtless man's face. 

"Roman, with respect, you have been shirtless all day- and I have touched you, and carried you, and kissed you in that state. It's not like I'm stripping down naked to have sex with you, calm down."

Roman's eyes floated to Deceit's own slowly, cheeks going brighter as he made a valiant effort to ignore looking at the rest of the man's body. "... you promise?" He whispered through his fingers, and for a moment, the snake had to close his eyes to regain his calm.

_Fuck_ , his bird was just too hopelessly cute. How was he expected to not go weak in the knees for that?

"I promise," he added with the prompt, and it was a good thing he closed his eyes, because he could practically feel Roman's smile.

Really, Roman felt nothing but relief at the response- he was glad Deceit agreed that that would be _far_ too fast for him to move with the man.

"... alright," the bird said after a happy moment, wiggling over where his waist was under the covers. "... just cuddles, that's alright."

"I never said I would-" but Deceit paused as he opened his eyes and saw the hope in Roman's expression. "... cuddles, alright. I… guess I can do that." 

This man would be the death of him.

Deceit finished taking off his boots and socks, tossing them in the corner by his closet, then began plucking off all of his rings to place on the hand model on his bedside table. After some hesitation, he left the golden ring on, then pulled back the covers next to Roman. They sat there in soft silence as Roman finished his cup, both trying to process the day.

"You did well on the weeding," Deceit finally spoke up. "I saw when I went out to get you. Those plants are likely hopeless regardless, but it is nice to at least be able to see them again."

"I don't think they're hopeless," the bird responded. "They just need a little help. A little guiding. You can't expect a plant to thrive when you don't give it your time and energy to do so."

"Are you giving me gardening tips?"

"No, I'm giving you life tips. Pass a cracker."

With a shrug, Deceit did so.

"I don't think a garden analogy works for everything in life," Deceit mused as Roman munched on the cucumber cracker. 

"No, but it works for a lot of things," Roman paused, but the snake didn't speak up, sure there was more he wanted to say. "This thing between us is going to be… difficult."

"That's putting it lightly."

"I'm just saying, it's a little like a garden. If you think of me as a plant. I need… time. To get used to things."

"I'm not great with plants, Roman."

"Then think of me as one of your broad evil schemes. You have all the patience in the world for those, don't you?"

Despite himself, Deceit smiled.

"I think I can handle that. Are you done eating?" Roman was looking at the plate on the table with concentration.

"I think so. But I am going to need a big breakfast tomorrow."

"I'll keep it in mind," Deceit hummed, wiggling completely beneath the covers.

"You'd better," Roman replied, shifting down as well- but Deceit jolted as the man curled up against his chest, taking a moment to relax. He wrapped his arms carefully around Roman, holding him close, and forgot how to breathe for a moment at the complete calm that enveloped him. 

"This is nice," the bird mumbled against Deceit's chest after a moment. The snake could feel his eyelashes fluttering against his skin, could feel the arms so loosely wrapped around him. Every point of contact both stood out and soothed him at once, burning like a warm fireplace.

"Yeah," he choked out around an emotion he couldn't place. "It is." He reached to touch his green ring, mumbling a few reverse words, and the room went dark.

The bird only hummed tiredly as their bodies went limp together with sleep.


	13. Untouchably Fond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus actually meets Virgil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw for Remus thoughts (gore and smexy stuff in verbal communication), making out, and implied nsfw at the end but the chapter doesn't get into it ^^
> 
> Link to tumblr!:  
> https://to-be-king-sanderssides.tumblr.com

Remus woke up in a cave.

For a moment, the magician laid on his back, staring up at the moist ceiling as a stalactite dripped on his cheek.

"Fuck!" He finally exclaimed, scrambling to his feet and glancing around at his surroundings.

It was some kind of treasure room, apparently underground. Light filtered from a corner of the rocks behind him and in front of him was a body of water- presumably where the merperson had dumped him from.

"Hello?" He called, but there was no response- well, no verbal response, that is. He saw a purple light run below the dark water before disappearing again, so it was safe to assume the merperson was close enough to hear him. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?" He asked aloud to the water, dropping to his knees just beside it. "I know I'm a sexy icon but you haven't even touched me yet!" A thought occurred to him. "Unless you did while I was sleeping. Man, you're into some kinky shit-" he cackled to himself, only to cut his own voice off as a noise sounded from the water.

It was like a hum, or like a trill- even more similar to a whale's song than the merperson's voice had sounded earlier. It was their voice without words, a whine without distress. As if just to express themselves, or to tell him to shut up.

It worked, because his mouth snapped shut, enchanted by the noise. He leaned further over the water, trying to get a view of the one making it.

It cut off finally, but Remus didn't lean back- seeing glowing purple stripes curled up at the bottom, two purple irises staring up at him suspiciously through the water. He could see nothing of their body, only the parts of them that reflected every tiny dot of light they caught.

"... do you- I mean-" Remus attempted to speak before he was ready to, before he had thought out his words. He never thought about his words, but never had it backfired so tremendously that he fell into  _ stuttering! _ "... Are you afraid?" He finally asked, and the merperson didn't respond- but they flicked their tail. "Because I look like him?"

Another hum of a noise, and they swam in a circle along the bottom, staying far away from Remus but not breaking eye contact. He felt he could see the fear in their eyes. Never had Remus wanted to reassure someone more that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"I'm not Roman," he said, and they trilled curiously, slowing to swim just a foot or so closer. It gave Remus a bit more contentment, and carefully, he pulled his mask off of his face. "We look alike because we're twins- do you know what-?"

The merperson clung to the rock wall just beneath the surface, and Remus was able to see those gorgeous freckles splattered on a face that looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. They glanced between his mask and him before carefully shaking their head, refusing to even blink.

"We share a family- a mother and father," he explained, and they tilted their head, somehow more confused.

"Father?" They asked, voice trailing on the word and passing through the air easily after the water just like their whine. "Doesn't everybody?" Remus desperately wanted to reach out and squeeze their nose, see if they could breathe through their mouth just as easily and express how stupidly cute he thought that question was.

"No, everyone has a different father."

"Me and Dee have the same father," they said, shrinking down suspiciously. "And we don't look alike at all. You're wrong."

Remus blinked. "Well, I suppose if one or both of you were adopted-"

"Adopted?"

"Not… created. Parents- mothers and fathers create children, but sometimes they'll take a child that they didn't make, that somebody else made." Remus couldn't believe he was giving a "birds and the bees" talk to a merperson, but he'd done weirder things.

"Oh." They thought for a moment. "I'm probably adopted then, Dee looks more like father than I do." They turned their head to swish their tail in the water. 

"... yeah. So, who is this- Dee?"

The merperson managed to shrink down further, staring up at Remus suspiciously. "...You came here without even knowing that?"

"I just came here to see my juicy brother!"

For a moment, they considered. "Better if you don't know, then. I've never had anyone come here and not know, but if you did know…" they smiled widely, teeth pointed and sharp, and Remus flinched back a little from the water. "I might have to kill you," they finished cheerily.

Oddly enough, Remus did not remember merpeople being so violent in his books. 

He loved it.

"Method?" He responded, smiling brightly, and they squinted, confused. 

"Huh?"

"How would you kill me?" Remus asked just as excitedly, leaning far enough over the water now that his nose almost touched it. The merperson's lips moved out like a pout.

"Uhm, I suppose by drowning," they said. "Like all of my other victims?"

"Boo!" The human jeered, his own face moving like a pout. "Where's my special treatment! Where is the creativity in killing me like all the others!"

"... okay," they said softly, swimming again under the water as if in thought. "Hum, I guess, I could, uh, eat your arms while you were still alive?"

"Now we're getting somewhere!"

The merperson smiled shyly. "And your legs?"

"Of course! And deal the finishing blow by biting my neck and letting me bleed out all over the place!"

"It would be messy," the merperson stated quietly.

"Worth the mess for the fun!"

"I like you," they mumbled, swimming up even further this time. Their eyes shone with honesty, and Remus was a little taken aback.

"You do? I like you too!" He exclaimed, grinning before the moment was over.

"My name is Virgil," they said.

"Remus," the human replied happily. "Any chance of me getting out of here anytime soon, Virgil?"

Their eyes flashed with something- fear, perhaps- and after a moment, they shook their head. "No. Dee would be upset that I let someone live. He'd kill you himself. His methods are a lot more creative than mine, but I don't really want you to die anymore. You're fun to talk to."

"But if you don't let me go, I'll probably starve, and then I'll be dead anyway."

Virgil seemed slightly offended at this.

"I can feed you!" They exclaimed, and Remus quirked a brow.

"Darling, you can't even feed yourself- I can see your ribs." He could, in fact, see Virgil's ribs, but he could also see a blush growing on their cheeks at the pet name, and Remus quickly decided that was a far more interesting sight to pursue. "Do you like it when I call you darling?" He asked, and the blush grew darker. "What of dear, my sweet, my treasure, my-"

" _ Alright, alright, that's enough," _ they hissed, voice sounding layered, and Remus had never been more overjoyed to hear something as the flustered merperson flicked their tail. He might be getting laid yet!

"Aww, what's wrong, firefly? Can't handle a bit of praise?" He purred, and they glared up at him- much to his delight. "You are  _ perfect _ ," he hummed in a cheerfully hushed voice, Virgil's eyes flicking up- as if they didn't believe him. As if he would lie!

"Do you believe that?" They asked tentatively. Remus felt like he was flying, about to greet a fall before the ground headfirst.

"First thing to learn about me, Virgil: I do not lie. There may be things I deign not to tell you in the moment, like how badly I want you to fuck me right now, but I will never explicitly lie. If I say something, I mean it," he nodded firmly.

"Say it again," they demanded, and Remus nodded again, more excitedly.

"You're perfect!" He declared. "Everything about you is perfect! I love your voice, and the way you glow, and your eyes! I think the way you encourage me is perfect! I love it all!"

"Love?" They asked, and they swam up even more- swam through the surface, finally, pressing their nose against Remus', the lightest touch pushing him back into a sitting position where the merperson's hands sat beside his knees on the ground and the way their noses remained pressed together had Remus losing his breath, staring into their eyes and getting utterly, hopelessly lost. The way the merperson was literally dripping onto his lap now didn't much help his fantasies. "You love me?" They asked, and out of water their voice was so much scratchier. In the water, he heard it like a whale's song, long, trailed notes and whines- but out of it, their voice was just a morning after sex voice and Remus would just  _ die _ for it- wait, what?

"I think so," he finally responded, chest seizing up. It was a little harder to breathe. He blamed the carbon dioxide from the other's mouth. "You make me happy."

"That's good," they said, smiling. "I don't know what love feels like, but I think it's something like this."

"Can I kiss you?" Remus blurted, and they appeared puzzled for a moment.

"Uhm- I think so? Sure," they said, but that wasn't a clear yes, so Remus scoffed.

"You can say no," he said easily, humored.

"No, I just- don't know what it is. If it'll help this feeling, I want to."

"Well… I wouldn't say  _ help _ ," Remus grinned. "But it'll feel good."

"Good enough for me."

And then Remus kissed them.

Remus had kissed a lot of monsters in the past. He'd  _ fucked _ a lot of monsters in the past, too, but even with all of his experience, none of them quite compared to this.

Virgil growled against his lips, and Remus felt the other agreed.

It was messy- a human with a remarkable amount of experience kissing a merperson with none. One would think this would mean Remus could take the lead- but regardless of his experience, Virgil dominated. Sharp teeth nipped Remus' lip, and he opened his mouth pliantly, a squirmy tongue exploring the inside thoroughly and leaving him utterly breathless for the first time in years.

Yep, Remus was in love.

He allowed the less experienced one to take the lead- they didn't need much guiding anyway, it seemed, instincts shoving them along and leaving the human barely clinging behind.

When they pulled away, they smirked. At some point Remus' hands had risen to their cheeks, and the touch was sending soft warmth through his arms, poking along in an almost painful way that he couldn't place but didn't want to let go of. 

"That was nice," they said, licking their lips, and Remus huffed.

"Just 'nice'?  _ Bitch _ , that was the best kiss I've ever had!"

"Was it? Oh, I'll try not to let it go to my head," Virgil responded, smirk widening. 

Remus couldn't help it.

He laughed, dropping his head against Virgil's neck and snorting against it. The other flinched, and he nipped at the spot, drawing a shocked gasp that he was sure he would be playing with later, but for now- he laughed. Carefree and unceasing, domestic and soft.

"Remus?" Virgil asked after a moment, their voice far too fond for the situation Remus had been through a thousand times before- but then, the human was feeling the same. Light and untouchably fond. "You okay?"

"I'm good, I'm just-" he chuckled, wiping his eyes as he pulled back. "This is nice, you're right."

"I know I am," they purred, sending Remus into another fit of giggles.

"Whaddaya say I teach you some more 'nice' things before you swim off, big boy~?" Remus purred, wrapping his arms around Virgil's neck and tugging them closer.

"... I'd say how could I resist an offer like that?" They responded, and Remus grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain keeps telling me things moved too fast but then I'm like... its Remus of course things moved fast he has no sense of self control. First comes smex then comes marriage-  
> Help this boy


	14. A Minor Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan lies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohmygosh this is four days late and I am sorry akdjs  
> I was just struggling to write it and I'm still not proud of it- but next chapter will be on time Monday!  
> Tw's for mentions of character death and war!

From a young age, Logan had been taught that power meant everything.

  


He'd learned to keep up an image- learned to lie his way through life by showing his subjects he was strong.

  


Well, it wasn't really lying if it was true, was it? No- he and his family  _ were _ strong. It had kept them at the top- until suddenly, it hadn't.

  


Until suddenly, somebody stronger had come about.

  


The rebellion had destroyed everything that Logan had previously known. When the prince's mother and father had been killed in front of him, he had felt no remorse, despite their screaming and crying as they died. The rebels seemed to find it funny, at the time, taunting him for his lapse in emotions. Logan remembered raising his eyes to the one directly in front of him, on his knees with his arms tied behind his back, gaze blank.

  


" _ I have no pity for the weak." _

  


It had silenced them. They underestimated him. They underestimated his strength, due to his parents' piteous whining and groveling for their lives.

  


Logan would never beg for something so outrageous. He decided long ago to never beg for scraps. If his life was what they deigned to claim, they would have it- should they also have the power to take it.

  


He never did have the chance to find out if they did. If they could kill someone who wasn't sniveling at their feet.

  


It was so much more calm in Galia.

  


Carefully, Logan slipped out from under the covers. Patton had only just managed to fall asleep, and the sun was beginning to rise. He was careful not to wake his love up, pulling the curtains over the windows before he left the room.

  


The day his parents died had changed him. He had met Patton, for one. It seemed strange on the tongue, but the day Logan's parents had fallen victim to the rebellion in front of his very eyes had been the best day of his life.

  


Secondly, he had discovered magic.

  


It wasn't that Logan had been completely ignorant to magic before that day, but he had been taught to view it as a bad thing. Tainted and horrible, created only to toy with the laws of nature itself. Logan had been taught science- chemistry, mathematics and the like. He had been taught strategies of war rather than how to make a flower bloom in seconds and wilt in seconds to come.

  


Logan had never experienced magic firsthand until that day. That day, he saw sorcery used to effortlessly take over the kingdom he was meant to rule. He had gained his first taste, and so quickly, Logan had become intoxicated by it.

  


It was the taste of power.

  


So, Logan began studying magic. From the moment he arrived at Patton's castle, he had begun reading, bitterly focused on every new bit of news he encountered,  _ obsessed _ with it.

  


How had his parents kept all of this from him? How had they been so  _ stupid? _

  


_ The same way Patton is _ , his mind supplied.

  


In these times, the only one that had ever been able to pull him away from his studies had been Patton- soft promises of cuddles and kisses making Logan go weak in the knees, blushing and wide-eyed, lips sealed like a crushing teenage  _ frog _ . 

  


Patton was Logan's weakness. Tooth-rotting sugar that decayed a little more of the wall around Logan's heart every time he saw him. From the second Logan had seen him, he'd known that letting him in would pull him downward from the position he had secured with an iron fist, but he never could have helped himself.

  


The dog had made him a better person. Truly, he despised it, but there was just no resisting. It was another impossibly powerful thing about magic- soulmates themselves.

  


His soulmate didn't have anything like the drive for power Logan did. Patton would rather live as an equal with his citizens. If Logan were a different man, he might accept that life- but he wasn't. There was nothing he craved more than being in control.

  


Still, when his other was around, it was remarkably difficult to remember that. Something about Patton's presence alone was enough to calm him down, keep him sane. Make him wait for the power he needed instead of seeking it out.

  


But he had waited too long.

  


Patton had almost gotten hurt. If Logan had more power, more control, he could have protected him better- but he had to rely on Remus' magic. It always came down to magic.

  


The man pulled on a brown cloak, black bandana, and black gloves, removing his silver circlet to place on a table in the room before his and Patton's. If Patton woke up, perhaps he would just assume Logan was taking a shower. Hopefully he would be back before Patton even had the chance.

  


He made his way silently out of the castle, keeping to the shadows, goal poignant in his mind as he crept through alleyways and around streetlights, though he wasn't too fearful of being seen. Black hair and blue eyes weren't quite enough to recognize the prince himself, after all. 

  


Patton's voice rang sharp in his mind. " _ You ever snuck out, Lo?" _

  


If only he knew.

  


Logan wrapped on the door he found in front him quickly, standing straight. When it was opened, he walked in without a warning.

  


"Would it kill you to ask to enter?" Asked a small voice, but Logan didn't turn until he heard the door click shut. He pulled off his hood and down his bandana. "You know we're closed, right? We don't open for another two hours."

  


"Talyn," Logan spoke, his voice soft but urgent, and they rolled their eyes.

  


"Always straight to business, with you," they giggled, pushing back their colorful hair. They were wearing something like a suit with a sheer short cape and a scarf draped over their arms- though the purpose for that was lost to Logan as they glided past him, deeper into the unopened magic shop. A witch hat sat atop their head.

  


"I need you to call Joan."

  


"Did something happen?"

  


Logan opened his mouth, but a second later, it was snapping shut, his eyes falling to the floor. "I'm afraid the rebellion is no longer in Quian alone."

  


Talyn searched Logan's expression a moment before nodding.

  


"Alright. Just give me a second," they requested, making their way to a wall of elemental gemstone jewelry and plucking a simple white one off of the wall. They looked at it with a small amount of trepidation before putting it on- an earring- then spoke softly, drawing a circle in the air.

  


"May so me show Joan we talk," they said, and the circle solidified to white before showing a person with black hair sat at a desk, appearing somewhat frazzled.

  


"Joan," Logan spoke up, and they jumped before blinking at the sphere. There were dark circles under their eyes. "How are things in Quian?"

  


"Something happened," Joan declared, not a question, but a statement.

  


"Are you referring to Quian or here?"

  


"Galia. You wouldn't call me unless something happened, so what happened?"

  


Logan pursed his lips. "There was an assassination attempt." Joan cursed under their breath through the portal.

  


"Things are getting worse, Logan. The only reason I'm still alive is because I'm pro-magic and never served the previous king and queen- well, never served them openly. I've been doing all I can to negotiate with the people, but-" they paused, their voice going dark. "They're in disagreement. They've lived so long in a world where magic was punishable by death, they're fighting in the streets over its legalization. Those who have always been for magic are calling for your head, and Patton's for his mere association with you. Those against magic are killing any sorcerers they find for going against "the laws of nature." They want your head as well, for… deflecting. Both sides have started something like a religion over it, and it's causing even more vice than the start of the rebellion did."

  


"That explains how it's spread even here now. What do you know of 'Quirmy'?"

  


"It's a pro-magic organization. Those who are pro-magic seem to be split into two separate groups. If it weren't for the divide, I don't know that an anti-magic group would still have the supporters to speak- pro-magic far outweighs them."

  


"So what about it?" Logan prompted. "Who are they?"

  


"The two pro-magic organizations have two separate leaders- but their leaders are rather private, and their goals are widely unknown. Quirmy is anti-government entirely, from what I've understood. It's a bunch of shit anarchists who think the monarchy does nothing for them," they practically spat the words.

  


"And the other?"

  


"Has no name. Just 'the rebellion.' They started all this. From what I've heard, this is the side that executed your parents' deaths. Quirmy, on the other hand, is only recently developed, but the members have been members for over a decade. Since…" Joan trailed off, biting their lip. "Since before you were born, highness. The rebellion is more focused on creating a democracy, a stable government for the people, where Quirmy wants vengeance at the cost of any life. It's a bunch of fucking suicide bombers!" They exclaimed, and Logan nodded carefully.

  


"Mm. Understood. I'll do what I can here to quell the violence from reaching this far." Although what he could do peacefully was a mystery to Logan. They were against his presence. Some were even against Patton's presence.

  


He wanted to kill the lot of them, for even daring to think his love was bad.

  


"Thank you Joan," the prince said, and the servant to the crown gave a short nod.

  


"Be careful, Logan," they said, but Logan gave no response, waving to Talyn to cut the line.

  


"I want to build an army of magicians," came the prince's words once the image had faded in the air, a moment later. Talyn jolted slightly.

  


"An army?" They asked. "To fight?"

  


"To subdue. I don't want Patton getting dragged into my parent's mistakes. I want an end to the rebellion, and that won't come unless I gain more power over the people."

  


"Logan, stop being an idiot. Just  _ listen _ to the people-"

  


"I'm sorry, those who want my head, or my soulmate's?!" Logan fumed, towering over the other, and Talyn took a step back that made Logan falter.

  


"... those that want a democracy, my prince," they said, their voice softer now as they tried not to provoke him again. "Those that want equality."

  


"Equality," he scoffed, turning towards the door. He placed a hand upon it. "Just build my army, Talyn. You can follow orders, can't you?"

  


Talyn didn't say anything, only watching as Logan walked out. They were a good ally to have, but Logan was keenly aware he only had their support thanks to Joan's vouching for him.

  


Joan was an orphan when Logan's parents found them. They were the closest thing to a friend Logan had- but he still wouldn't consider them that. Friends brought more weakness, more to be used against you. Joan was a servant, indebted to Logan's family- rather unhappily in previous years. It was only when Logan met Patton that Joan deigned it safe to reveal why.

  


"Soulmates," Logan huffed under his breath when he was gone, glancing back to Talyn's door. The cat had no doubts that, if his family had ever found out Joan was meeting with a magician outside of the kingdom and turned their hands against Talyn, Joan would have betrayed them. 

  


Logan struggled to hold any true hostilities towards the sorcerer. It was, after all, Talyn's magic that proved Logan and Patton were soulmates, a full year ago now- it was simply a little frightening to imagine his loyal servant turning against him over one person. 

  


He shook off the thoughts, making his way again towards the castle and arriving back before his love even awoke. He changed his clothes before sneaking into bed behind the other, spooning him with a careful hold.

  


Patton shifted, murmuring slightly. "Lo~?"

  


"Hush, darling, I only went to get a drink, go back to sleep," he requested, lying. Not for the first time, and never for the last, but it was enough to calm his other's worries.

  


"Mkay, love you... Lolly…"

  


"... I love you too, sweet."

  


_ More than you could ever know. _


	15. Honesty in an Image

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit is honest with Roman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw for terrorism mention and talking about controlling dads!  
> ALSO I keep forgetting to link this but somebody did!!! Fanart of Remus and Virgil and it's so cute!!! :   
> https://to-be-king-sanderssides.tumblr.com/post/619384212752039936/remus-looks-utterly-adorable-i-have-been-blessed  
> And here's what Talyn looked like in the last chapter because words are hard:  
> https://to-be-king-sanderssides.tumblr.com/post/620668062265475072/anyway-heres-a-rough-sketch-image-of-what-talyn

When Roman awoke, he was being held.

An odd enough thought, since he was sure he was nowhere near the castle, and only Patton tended to cuddle him.

So he blinked awake, but didn't move away. He felt soft breath on the skin of his shoulder. Blearily, he noticed the eyes across from him were open- staring back, their noses almost touching. Roman could feel the other's breath.

"... Hullo," he said, realizing rather quickly who the things belonged to as memories muddled back into his mind from the day before.

"Tell me, Roman, do you consider make-up lying?"

Well. That was a question the knight hadn't expected off the bat. The snake seemed so earnest though, almost fearful. He'd been overthinking… something. Roman only wanted to comfort him, but he thought seriously about the question.

"I- that depends," he hummed questioningly, voice soft from the early morning.

"On?"

Goodness, he was focused on this.

"Well… I don't mind it if it's. Just to make you happier. … Deceit, did you wear makeup to bed?" He was looking beneath Deceit's head, toward the pillow for makeup stains, but he saw none.

"But is it  _ lying?" _

"I- I don't know. I think- if it changes your appearance enough, it's kind of lying. But you should never feel the need to  _ lie _ with makeup. It's supposed to be an add on to make you happy- not a mask. Does that make sense?" Roman asked, but Deceit sat up without answering, expression harshly conflicted. The bird found himself immediately missing the warm arms around him, missing the touch. "Deceit? Is something wrong?"

"...  _ yes."  _ The man responded after a moment, the word sounding foreign from his lips. He was fidgeting, fingers running and twirling that golden ring around his left index finger. 

"What is it? Did I do something?" Roman asked, more awake now as he sat up as well.

"No, I did something." Deceit stood as if to get even further from Roman, chewing his lip and pacing a moment. It was frantic, but controlled- an attempt to remain calm. Roman could still spy the panic in his eyes.

"Breathe. What are you afraid to tell me?" Roman wanted to reassure Deceit that he could say it in his own time, but obviously it was something bothering the other- and it didn't seem like it could wait. So instead, he moved to the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for Deceit to respond. The other looked to him, then back to the floor, his pacing paused.

"I've been lying," he whispered, but the words sounded thunderously loud in the room.

Roman gave him a moment, waiting for him to continue, but it seemed the words needed to be forced out.

"About what?" He finally asked as calmly as he could. Deceit's gaze flicked to him before the man sighed, walking back over to plop down on the edge of the bed. He fiddled with his ring more instead of answering, turning it round and round on his finger, and Roman found his gaze drawn to it.

The fidgeting stopped finally as the knight placed a hand on Deceit's own, forcing the other to look at him. There was a brief silence as Deceit looked into his eyes.

"Take it off," requested the snake, an honest vulnerability in his voice that had the bird's hair standing on end as he shifted closer earnestly. Deceit closed his eyes, holding out his left hand, brows pushed together with stress as he laid his right hand by Roman's hip, leaning forward. "Please, just-" he requested, and after a moment, Roman took the fingers in his own.

His fingers clasped around the ring, and Deceit's breath hitched, but Roman didn't yet pull it off, searching his expression.

"Roman,  _ please,"  _ he hissed, and after another small hesitation- he pulled.

Deceit didn't open his eyes. He didn't need to in order to know that if he did, he would see nothing more than disgust on Roman's face.

The sorcerer's skin seemed to shimmer before a thin sheet of magic over his body disintegrated.

The gasp from Roman's lips was all Deceit really needed to know this was a horrid idea.

Still the snake remained silent, tense, eyes closed and fearful of his knight's next move. He was expecting it to come as Roman moving off of the bed, outraged, or maybe a hidden knife plunging between his ribs.

What he didn't expect was the softest, most careful touch over the scales on his left cheek, trailing downward to where they lay on his belly as if exploring them ticklishly. He didn't expect to still be able to feel Roman's soft breath as the bird leaned forward, and when he finally opened his eyes, he didn't expect Roman's soft expression- perhaps slightly conflicted, but soft all the same. 

Roman blinked slowly at the scales that ran down Deceit's side and cheek, golden eyes changed to one on the left where the other was green. Aside from his skin on his right, the only trait that remained the same was the dark hair fallen across Deceit's face.

"I understand why you kept this a secret," the knight said, eyes shining up at Deceit. There was fear in them, rejection, but more importantly- there was a desire to understand. It was more than just contempt that Deceit saw there.

His breath caught in his throat.

"You are too good for me, knight." 

Roman let out a confused noise as Deceit exhaled shakily, leaning his forehead on Roman's shoulder.

"... what caused it?" The bird finally asked, fingers still tracing carefully over the scales on Deceit's side, sending a shiver down his spine.

"I've been told I was cursed. It was before I can remember."

"And you still chose to be a sorcerer?" Roman felt lashes fluttering against his skin.

"... that wasn't my choice. My father made me this," Deceit explained, scrunching his brows and pulling back slightly. "... but it could have been. There could be ways to reverse it. So far all I have found…" he twirled a finger around the ring in Roman's palm. "Is illusion magic. It's an off-branch of earth magic. The branches' gemstones are harder to come by, but they have more focused talents. The current focus of this gem is to make me look… well…"

"Somewhat normal?" Roman asked, and Deceit flinched. Ah. Careless use of words.

"... Yes." The snake responded regardless. "I could- if I desired- change it at any moment to show another illusion. Would you like me to-?" He asked, and Roman gave a careful nod as the snake took the ring back.

It was odd to see his skin flicker back to that perfect normalcy from the snake-like appearance it had started at. Under Deceit's breath, he murmured a few words- in reverse. Same as earth magic, which made sense if it were a branch. Roman jumped as Deceit took his hand, guiding them both to lay back, side by side.

Deceit waved his hand in the air as he finished speaking, and suddenly, the ceiling and roof of the bed were gone. Roman gasped with delight as he saw the stars they were replaced with. When he glanced to the window, he saw it was still morning.

"What of this?" Deceit asked gently, and Roman beamed. 

"It's  _ gorgeous,"  _ he said, fixing his gaze back on Deceit. The disguise had melted away again, apparently with the ring's focus elsewhere, but Roman found he didn't mind all that much. The scales were a little terrifying- just like the forked tongue and singular fang in Deceit's mouth- but somehow, they seemed to suit him. His eyes were even more beautiful like this.

"Do you hate me for lying?" Deceit asked, shifting to lay on his side facing Roman, and the bird did the same.

"Not really. It was only twelve hours after your promise. And… like you said, it's just like makeup."

"It's a little more than makeup."

"I don't plan to do all of the work defending you," Roman said, voice teasing, and it prompted a delightful smile from the other. "No more lies?" The bird asked.

"No more lies," Deceit agreed. And it was a powerfully honest statement. "It's funny. The only ones I've ever been completely honest with are the creature and... my father." Deceit paused, glancing up at the illusory stars, lost.

"Tell me about him," Roman requested, shocking Deceit by taking one of his hands a second time, now that they faced each other. 

"... I don't know that he would like that."

"What am I gonna do, ride back to the castle to give them the information? Oh wait, don't have a horse, my bad." The knight rolled his eyes, and Deceit snorted.

"... Fine then, I guess it would do no harm." Despite the words, there was a long pause before he continued, rubbing his thumb across Romans knuckles as if it brought him comfort. "... my father is not a magician," Deceit said first, and the idea was somewhat surprising to Roman.

"But I thought you said he-"

"Trained me in magic? He did, but never through visual demonstration. It was through… books, mostly. Explanation of what he wanted me to do, how he wanted me to do it. But I have never, not once in my life, seen him use magic. I do not believe he is capable of it. He's… drawn to it, almost, but he cannot do it himself."

Roman's thoughts jumped to Logan. "Yeah, I know someone like that, too. Not my dad, though. He's okay," the knight shrugged carelessly. "Is that why he made you do magic, when he found out you could?"

"I- I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

Deceit bit his lip. It was an endearing sight. "... My earliest memory is of training," he said, glancing down at the pillow to avoid Roman's expression. "It wasn't magic back then, but it was still training. … I don't believe it would have mattered whether I could do magic or not. His plans for me were… this." The sorcerer vaguely gestured in the air with one hand. "To be- what you all would call- a villain. I think my aptitude towards magic only ended up being a bonus for him. It contributed to whatever this role is that he wants me to fill."

"And you're just fine with that?" Roman asked, brows furrowing. "Being a tool?"

"He is my father, Roman. I am indebted to him."

"You aren't 'indebted' to anything, or anyone," Roman glared, but Deceit could tell it wasn't directed towards him. "If you want to be- whatever he wants, whatever that is- a terrorist, I guess- do it. But let that be your choice. Don't let it be 'because of him.'"

"I don't," Deceit responded after a moment, before chuckling softly. "But I want him to be happy." The man turned onto his back. "The occasions when he smiles are so far and few in between. I feel that, if I am obedient, they will occur more often. I want that. So… it is for me, but it is also for him. Or… it was." The snake's expression grew conflicted.

"Was?"

"I don't know anymore, after meeting you. You make me feel as if there might be more that can make me happy than making him proud, little bird."

The knight didn't know what to say to that.

"We should get up."

"Yes."

But neither of them moved, enjoying the serenity that came with the illusion of stars.


	16. Spirits and Parades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton talks to Logan about the spirit parade next week. Someone else lurks in the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw mentions of earlier minor character death and knives  
> Also plots of Murder

Once, there was a pair of soulmates.

The two were inseparable. One a magician, a sorcerer with the spirits' light- the other, a humble man.

Soulmates weren't always so lucky as to find each other in the modern age, where people were spread out all across the world, but these did. 

See, the magician held a unique skill. Favored by the spirits, perhaps even a god, he held a connection to them that rivaled even the oldest wizards' knowledge. He held the ability to communicate through a veil, to speak with the lights themselves, even without the use of a stone- to make requests of the spirits. It stood to reason that one of his first requests was to meet his soulmate.

So the spirits had led the young magician of ten years away from his family, carefully sneaking him past the borders and into Quian from the distant land he had come from. To the house of a humble shoemaker they led him, to a boy around his age that was sat alone in his bedroom, staring wistfully out the window. He met the magician's eyes when he popped his head over the sill.

_ "Are you a fairy?"  _ The boy had asked, voice soft and pure, eyes shining with curiosity.

_ "No, my love,"  _ the magician responded, the lights of the spirits shining like fireflies around him.  _ "I am only a magician." _

_ "Magic?"  _ The boy asked on a gasp.  _ "That is forbidden here. You will get into trouble." _

_ "So the spirits have told me, but it will be worthwhile, for me to have met you. You are my soulmate, you know." _

_ "Soulmate?" _

_ "We are meant to be together. Fate has decreed it." _

_ "I have been told that is not real,"  _ said the boy.  _ "I have been told magic is harmful." _

_ "You have been told many things, but I am here now, and I will tell you new things. True things." _

_ "How am I to know they are true?" _

_ "I would not be standing here if they were not. If magic is harmful, why are the spirits not harming us?" _

The boy's eyes floated up to the lights surrounding the magician, and he reached out a gentle hand. One of the lights floated down, settling in his palm.  _ "Do they have names?" _ He asked, awed.

_ "This one is Logan,"  _ the magician said softly as he pointed to one in the air. " _ This is Patton, Virgil, Remus, Roman, and… Janus. And that one…"  _ he pointed to the one in the boy's palm.  _ "That one is Remy." _

The boy brightened, beaming cheerily.  _ "That's my name!" _

_ "Yes," _ said the magician, smiling at just the sight of his soulmate's happiness.  _ "He told me so. He told me you are my soulmate, and that we are meant to be." _

_ "Will it be easy?" _ Asked the boy, and the light in his palms flickered painfully.

_ "It is never easy- to be soulmates. But we will not regret it."  _ The magician placed his hands under Remy's, cupping them in his own as if it was to protect him- soft, as if he was fragile.  _ "We will struggle, and it will be difficult, but it will all be okay in the end." _

_ "As long as we have each other?" _ The boy beamed gently, watching as his soulmate smiled just as soft, nodding happily.

They both missed as the light flickered painfully a second time, distracted by each others' own gazes.

\--------

Remy was getting sick of this shit.

He stood, arms crossed in the warehouse he was currently calling 'home base,' brow twitching in annoyance at the three people currently groveling at his feet.

"What do you  _ mean _ he failed?" The near-forty-year-old man asked, tapping his foot impatiently and glaring harshly enough that it was obvious he wanted them to feel it through his sunglasses. 

"He threw it, but he missed the target. And they had some crazy magician with them, so- he's…"

"Dead," Remy finished. "I  _ hope _ , as it would do very little good to have one of our own blabbering out secrets to the kingdom, isn't that right, babes?" He smiled, and one of the men at his feet shivered at its emptiness. He paced to a map drawn on a wall behind the table they faced, hand on his chin. "Good riddance, I say. Next time one might as well just strap a bomb around their waist and hug one of the princes! At least it would do some  _ damage. _ " The man tapped his chin, gazing over the map before pointing to a point.

"Next week is Galia's annual spirit parade. The princes are rather unlikely to miss such an important celebration," he pulled away, walking around the backs of the three men. "Remember, Quian's prince is your main target. Without him, there will be no royalty left alive to rule this kingdom. It will be pure anarchy. We may not have controlled the initial assassinations, but the next strike will be ours, understood?" They nodded. "Dismissed. I will give you all more thorough plans later."

"For Quirmy," they declared, and Remy gave a nod of his own.

As the men scuffled out of the room, Remy narrowed his gaze, pulling a blade from the sheath on his side and inspecting his own reflection in it as he trailed around the table that the three had been facing. His eyes flicked with annoyance before he slammed the blade into the table, burying it halfway down.

Next time, they wouldn't  _ miss _ .

And when Logan was dead…

Remy's little snake would finally be the king he was  _ born _ to be.

\----------------

When it came to cuddly soulmates, there was really very little to be done.

This, Patton thought as he laid in bed well into the afternoon, blinking like some nocturnal owl whose feathers were being prickled by the arms currently squeezing his middle and the head buried in his chest as Logan mumbled something in his sleep. The cat managed to pull Patton even closer, and he almost choked on air. A worthy sacrifice, really, considering how cute his soulmate was.

Patton ran content fingers through the other's dark hair. He was sure he could hear a purr. A gentle smile lit up his other's face in his sleep at the touch, and Patton just wanted to cry from cuteness.

Logan almost completely lacked this softness when awake, so Patton was determined to treasure it as he could. Oh, he was still soft- at least to Patton himself, but the cuddly soft? That was something only a sleepy kitten could give him, and he adored every second of it.

There came a whine, and Patton almost pouted at it. Sure, it had to be four in the evening by now, but Logan could have certainly stayed asleep a little longer!

The man stretched his arms out, ending them rested on Patton's shoulders. The dog melted a little inside- actually, no, he melted a lot inside, especially as bleary eyes opened to meet Patton's own. He looked almost confused, scared, but then he smiled and any panic Patton might have felt was gone in an instant.

It had happened a lot in the beginning. Logan seemed to wake up every morning in a different place. Not literally, just… in his head. Like he expected for everything to be a dream, and for him to be back in Quian again, awaiting another day of training. That happened a lot less now, but Patton supposed the day before definitely hadn't helped the cat's mental health.

"Good morning, gummy bear!"

"It is not morning," Logan mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on one of Patton's thighs and reached for his glasses on the table next to the bed. "We need to move if we want to be able to sleep tonight. What do you say to a stroll through the gardens?"

"So business-y."

"Just be glad I'm not forcing you to do that paperwork you promised me yesterday," the Quian prince teased, and Patton blinked before rolling over. He pinned Logan beneath himself for only a second, pressing a kiss to his forehead before he grabbed his own glasses and rolled back off the bed.

So they were pretending it didn't happen. … That was good, honestly. Patton had no idea what he would have done if Logan had wanted him to  _ talk  _ about it. 

What was there to talk about anyway? It was better to just… ignore it all.

Right.

"Race to the dining room?" Patton requested, causing his soulmate to quirk a brow.

"I am not running, even if it is for you."

"What if I hold your hand?"

"May I gently jog as you drag me behind you?"

"That works."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Fine then, but get dressed first."

"What's the point of fancy robes when we can have a pyjama day?" Patton grinned cheerily.

"Pyjamas are not made for gardens, my love," the cat responded, apparently not budging from this point as he plucked servant-prepared clothes off of his dresser and began to get dressed. After a groan, Patton joined him in his efforts, speeding along.

Half an hour and a full meal later, the two were finally taking that walk.

"So…" Patton trailed, and his quiet soulmate gave a hum. He didn't really know what he wanted to say, but the silence was the death of him. "... the spirit parade next week," he said, finally settling on a topic and immediately regretting the topic he had settled on.

"What about it?"

"Uhm, do you think we should- postpone it? You know, with everything…" he trailed off again, pausing as his steps grew too heavy for him and his eyes fell to the ground. He saw Logan's feet stop as the cat turned to him.

"It was one attack, Patton. I have lived through worse. Moreover, it will be better to allow plans to continue as they are. It will show the rebels that we are strong."

"That-" he faltered, shoulders hunching. Perhaps Logan had lived through worse. Was it selfish to remind the other that Patton hadn't? "But, I think, isn't it better to make sure we're safe?"

"Love," and Patton jolted as he felt a warm hand suddenly in his own. "If the rebellion plans to attack at the parade, no amount of pushing it back will prevent it."

"Then, shouldn't we call it off altogether?" The dog asked, casting puppy eyes up at the other, begging.

"I'll be there. You'll be safe, I promise. If we call it off, they will know they have power over us. Besides, they waited a full year between attacks. They are extremely unlikely to attack again so soon."

"Right," the Galian prince breathed. "I hope you're right."

"I'm always right," Logan purred, and Patton snorted, bumping their shoulders together.

"Yeah. I guess." As if Logan's wholehearted belief in magic without science wasn't proof enough that he wasn't right in everything he did. But it was an innocent little lie, so Patton would allow it. Besides, arguing on the side of science against Logan might end in regret on both sides. Meaning he would cry, and Logan would be flustered and panicked trying to deal with the damage he had done. Just one of the many things they could agree to disagree on.

As long as they never argued.

As long as they never brought it up.

Just as long as they kept their blissful silent oath to only speak of their similarities.

Patton softly bumped his head against Logan's shoulder with a smile, fine for now with burying the differences between them and pretending they didn't exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write this whole chapter from Remy's POV but it ended up giving away too much of his hand, so you just get the vague threat of his existence in stead <3  
> And in case it wasn't clear, Remy is Dee's father figure guy~


	17. Wrong Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman asks Deceit to leave everything behind. Remus finally gets to talk to his brother, just like he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late update but at least it's a little longer than usual chapters ^^
> 
> Tw's for mentions of sex, mentions of murder, and mild gaslighting and hypocrisy at the end but it is unintentional
> 
> The song in this chapter is "cynical fairytale" by Egg! Here's a link:  
> https://youtu.be/eL3tlFhLz5c

Deceit moved about his kitchen cheerfully. Roman was perched up on a countertop, leaning against one of his knees, his foot up on the surface. Normally, Deceit would be outraged at such a thing- but, well, Roman's feet were clean, from a lovely shower the snake had provided earlier that morning, once they had gotten up- courtesy of some water magic and a curtain. Besides that, it seemed Deceit simply… wasn't in the mood to be angry.

He was practically dancing around his own kitchen, swaying to a song his little bird was humming. Roman was smiling softly as he watched him.

His ring of illusions was safely upstairs on his ring model. His gloves were off. His father probably wouldn't even try to contact him for another week, at least-

There was nothing to be upset about.

Carefully, Roman pushed himself off, beginning to sing in the most beautiful voice Deceit had ever heard- soft and pure in an enchanting way.

" _ In this isolated tower, in the middle of nowhere- it gets a little lonely but I don't let down my hair, 'cause most relationships are far more stressful than they seem- I'd rather face reality than chase a silly dream~" _

"Hey-!" The snake hissed, trying not to smile through a glare.

"Hush, they're just the lyrics," Roman trilled cheerfully, thinking for a moment before making a mocking face, taking Deceit by the hand. " _ Father knows best, he claims to know the future~" _ he sang in a tone that had Deceit chuckling, " _ You'll fall in love, live happily ever after with your suitor-" _

_ "To be honest I'd prefer avoiding all the hassle,"  _ Deceit sang softly, spinning Roman, much to his shock. " _ I'm fine inside my tower, really, I don't need a castle." _

"You know it?" The bird asked, the shock jumping to something ecstatic as he twirled back into Deceit's arms.

"I may," the snake responded, "You messed up the lyrics, by the way," and Roman rolled his eyes as the snake continued. " _ Fuck love, I don't understand it-" _

_ "19 years with no luck, I feel stranded!"  _ Roman sang, forcing Deceit to catch him in a dip as he swooned.

" _ Drifting through the water, I just wanna see the light, but the fog is awfully stubborn, and the feeling's never right-  _ You're 19?"

"Yeah, you?"

"20," the snake responded with a glowering smirk. "That makes me your superior."

" _ Fuck love!" _ Roman sang, extra loudly. "Really, what's the purpose?" He asked, yelling the words instead of singing them.

" _ Other than to make me feel uncomfortable and nervous? Overthinking every single thing I wanna say-" _

_ "Will it make you think I'm stupid?" _

_ "Will it make you… run away?" _

The bird stopped dancing at this line, glancing up at the other with a curious expression, almost conflicted. "It won't," he spoke, voice solid.

"Huh?"

"Anything you tell me. I won't run away." He took Deceit's hand in his own again, running his fingers over it carefully. "I know you were nervous about the- about showing me what you look like. So I wanted to tell you. I won't run away."

The snake blinked for a moment in surprise. Then, a smile cracked across his face, giddy and excitable.

"Hush, they're just the lyrics," he said, repeating Roman's earlier words back to him and being rewarded with the other flushing a bright red.

"I know that!" He exclaimed. 

"And I won't think you're stupid, either."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause, the knight's gaze fluttering downward in an inner battle. "... are you really fine here? I mean- would you,  _ prefer _ a castle to the- the tower?" He asked, cheeks going pink again as Deceit tried to figure out what he was getting at.

"Well- I suppose, I don't know. Why are you asking, little bird?"

Another pause, and then, meeting Deceit's gaze-

"I want to go home."

The snake's breath caught unfortunately in his throat. "You-" he tried, and the word didn't come out, his grin fading just as quickly as it had come. 

"Hey- no, that's not what I meant," Roman said quickly, bringing a hand up to cup Deceit's cheek. "I want you to come home  _ with  _ me. I don't just want to leave you, I- that's why I brought up the 'run away' thing first, I want you to come  _ with  _ me."

"With you-?"

"To the castle," Roman nodded, his expression all too serious.

The snake furrowed his brows, hissing. "You  _ cannot _ think that is a good idea," he huffed, glancing away to at least consider it regardless. 

"You'll have to wear your illusion ring, of course, but- if having me with you will keep you from hurting others, there's- there's no reason not to!"

"There are  _ plenty _ of reasons not to. Who will take care of the creature? And my gardens?"

"Your gardens are a disaster already," Roman huffed before grinning. "And the palace has fully functioning gardens, and yardkeepers- they could give you advice on how to keep the plants alive!"

"And the creature?" The snake prompted. Roman hesitated.

"If we go hunting and give them enough deer to last a while, or you summon a bunch of monsters for them to eat- that would work, right?"

"Yeah," Deceit breathed. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Is that a yes?" Roman asked, his expression brightening to practically shining, and at that- Deceit wouldn't have been able to deny him if he'd tried.

"Okay, yes," he laughed. "We'll leave tomorrow morning by foot, so you'd better go hunting, and this time-" he pressed a chaste kiss to Roman's forehead, ruffling his hair, "take care of yourself, maybe, and  _ don't _ collapse in the forest."

The bird stuck his tongue out, grinning.

"... let's make sure you eat and get a drink before you leave, just in case," the sorcerer said, furrowing his brows as his knight only giggled.

\--------

"Virgil!" The knight called over the purple lake, heart full of something like butterflies.

The water rippled with his voice as he stood above it, hands moving from cupping around his mouth to resting on his hips. His skin buzzed with a certain happy energy.

_ Nesting birds _ , Roman's mind reminded him silently. He couldn't completely drop his guard, even now. The bird couldn't let himself be truly happy. If he relaxed, Deceit would eat him right up. He needed to remain careful, remain wary of the snake despite the truths told to him- remain one step ahead of the other.

That would be much easier at the castle, of course.

"Virgil!" Roman called again, pouting, and after another long moment, the merperson finally poked their head through the water.

"Yeeeess?" They asked, tilting their head just barely to the side. Their cheeks were slightly flushed and dark, and Roman didn't miss it.

"Hang on, what were you doing?" He asked, hands dropping by his sides as he tried to understand why the creature was so flustered.

"He called it flirting," they explained, as if it were an explanation at all.

"Who called it-?" Roman asked. "Wait, flirting with who?"

The creature opened their mouth, then shut it again, looking at the water as if battling with themself.

"Uhm, no one, nothing," they finally said, their face going even darker. But then, after being treated to a pause, as if they couldn't stand to lie even for a minute, "Remus," they gasped out, then sunk into the water so only their eyes stuck out, as if to cool their face.

Roman froze at the word alone.

"Remus?" He repeated dumbly, and the merperson nodded, poking their head out again.

"We had sex."

"Oh my god. Ew.  _ Ew _ . I didn't need to know that. Where is he? When- what-?"

Virgil went under, tail splashing in the air before they were gone. When the creature returned, it was with a sopping wet and coughing sorcerer clinging to their back like a wet rat.

"I told you to hold your breath," said Virgil.

"You didn't let me  _ take one _ ," said the sorcerer.

"Remus!" Cried Roman, and Remus' eyes flashed up to his brother's. Slowly, a grin pulled across the corner of his cheeks, and he quirked a brow.

"Hey bro, heard you been hanging out with dickbags. Bags of dick. Namely the Dee-bag who Virgil will not name. Dick-bag flies. Flies on a bag of dicks!"

"I thought I missed you, but I changed my mind," Roman deadpanned, and Remus cackled before bursting into a fit of coughs again. "Remus, why are you here?"

When the coughing stopped, Remus looked up at his brother, an honest vulnerability in his gaze that almost had Roman staggering.

His brother had always been honest to a fault. It was the worst part about him, in Roman's opinion. He never lied, and always said what was on his mind- as if he couldn't bear to keep it in. But vulnerability wasn't a trait Roman would ever associate with the other.  _ Empathy  _ and  _ softness _ weren't words that immediately reminded him of  _ Remus _ .

But if there were words for the expression he wore for just that split second, those were them. 

"... I needed to talk to you," Remus finally said, his tone hardening in a way that made even Virgil crane his neck to look at the other. "Uhm, alone, if that's- if Dr. Dickbag will allow it."

"Am I Dr. Dickbag?" The creature asked, and Remus giggled.

"No, you're Professor Dick- very important distinction. But I do need to talk to him without you, too."

The creature seemed to consider a moment before nodding, swimming up to the shore so Remus could carefully pull his soaked body up onto the path leading to Deceit's house.

"You have to come back, okay?" The creature reassured themself, and Remus smiled, nodding cheerfully before they splashed back into the water. A second later, Remus' staff and mask came flying out to land next to him.

"Huh, I didn't even realize they took my staff," he said, blinking curiously as he picked up the stick and placed the half mask on his head.

"What's going on, Remus?" Roman asked, helping his wet brother to his feet. The sorcerer hesitated, glancing at the water with an unreadable expression. 

"Can we go to the woods?"

And although Roman was confused, he agreed easily.

The two made their way away from the lake, Roman sure that Deceit wouldn't miss him so horribly as to immediately chase him down if he took a moment away.

There was a long silence. Remus bent to stick a leaf in his mouth from the ground.

"Did you have something-" Roman spoke up, trying to break the distant silence, but Remus spat the leaf with a "pfeh" to interrupt him.

"You ever doubt your morals, Ro-Ro-Ro your Broat?" He asked, catching the spit-leaf in the air and twirling it curiously by its stem.

"Uh-" the knight considered, then shook his head. "No. I know my values are correct. But I'm not always the best at sticking to them, I suppose." He thought of Deceit, of the pull still tugging him to just be obedient, to just listen to anything the other said. "My morals help me resist urges. But you don't  _ have _ morals. Why are you asking me that?"

"... I dunno," Remus responded, letting the leaf float to the ground again and watching it. "Well, I kinda do! You in a good mental state for a heart to heart?"

"With you? Never," the knight claimed, but Remus only grinned.

"So you know I love to get fucked by monsters and all, and then kill them, but recently, the  _ strangest  _ thing happened!"

"... you met the creature and didn't kill them?"

"The creature?" Remus asked, tone dipping, somewhat offended. "Their name is  _ Virgil _ , thank you very much, and- no, but yes. I met a faerie for the first time, and I didn't- well-" he stopped, hesitating, and Roman stopped with him, turning to look at him.

Suddenly, Remus leaned down, scooped up a bunch of dry leaves, and shoved them all into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed as his brother made a face.

"Roman," he gasped, grabbing the other's shoulders as if the leaves had helped him get his thoughts together, "I felt  _ guilty _ ."

The knight couldn't dwell on the leaves, because those words shattered something in the air that he had thought he had known about his brother, factually, and it was a mess he couldn't ignore.

"You don't feel guilt," Roman responded, brows pushed together with confusion and brushing off Remus' hands to step back. "You've never- Remus, what do you  _ mean _ you felt guilty?"

"I couldn't  _ kill them _ , Roman!"

"It was a faerie!"

"I started to think of them as a person!" The sorcerer practically yelled, as shocked with this news as Roman was- as torn by saying it aloud as Roman felt, hearing it. "And- and it made me realize," he said, his hands coming up and gripping his hair slowly as he spoke, "monsters are- they're so much  _ kinder _ than people. They're so much  _ better _ than humans. They have their own sets of rules, their own code of conduct, depending on the species- but once you get past it, once you memorize that, it's so  _ easy _ with them," Remus looked up at Roman, his hands up in his hair as he tried to read his brother's expression.

"... they're monsters, Remus. They're killers, not  _ people _ ," the knight huffed in a final tone.

"Is that what you think of Virgil?"

Roman blinked. "No, but Virgil is intelligent. Virgil is-"

"A  _ monster _ , Roman. They're a monster, just as the rest are." He took a step forward, getting in Roman's face and shoving him. "You wanna know the difference? Virgil was raised with  _ humans. _ Virgil was raised with a human father. That's it!" He cackled into his hand, stepping back again and walking around aimlessly. "And I thought it was a problem with my morals, because it's  _ always _ a problem with my morals- but now, now I'm starting to think it's a problem with  _ everyone else's. _ And I've- I've killed so many. All because they were 'monsters', but I've had so many fucked up things drilled into my head since we were little. But I think that one, that one's the most fucked up of all. Because at least the others are just mine. At least it's only my head that's fucked. But for that one? It's all of you, and I'm the only sane one." Another laugh, this one maniacal and long and loud in the air. "And you know  _ something's  _ fucked in the system when  _ I'm  _ the sane one here."

"... Remus-" Roman paused, unsure of what to say. In the end, he gave a dismissive grin and shrugged tentatively, hesitating as he spoke. "Did you consider you might just be… being crazy, again?"

And there it was again. That open, shining vulnerability in Remus' eyes that had the bird's heart clenching with a need to comfort- and once again, Roman had to remind himself that this was  _ Remus. _ He didn't  _ need _ comfort, he never had.

And the vulnerable expression was gone, like a match blown out.

"Yeah," Remus mumbled, eyes dark as they fell. "Yeah, you're probably right. Sorry, I shouldn't have even- talked to you about this."

"... you can talk to me about anything, I just don't understand why you would travel across the kingdom just for that."

Roman thought he heard his brother mumble " _ You wouldn't get it," _ under his breath, but his lips were sealed the rest of the way back to the house, and Roman wrote it off as his own imagination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roman: "ye but Virgil's intelligent so"  
> Virgil, from a distance: /"I have killed and would kill again!"/
> 
> Link to Tumblr!:  
> https://to-be-king-sanderssides.tumblr.com


	18. New Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus meets Dee. Deceit and Roman leave for the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its been a hot minute since I updated this lol. Oh well! Here is the next chapter~  
> No warnings, I don't think

"Dee, this is my brother, Remus. Remus, this is Dee."

Remus and 'Dee,' as he was apparently to be called in the other's presence, were looking one another up and down. On Remus' face was a glare, distasteful- almost disgusted. It looked rather out of place on his expression. Dee's own seemed curious in comparison- a singular brow quirked upward as he examined Remus. Between them stood Roman, who was currently gauging Remus' expression- being sure he didn't recognize the snake, though there was no way he could. 

His illusory ring was on, and his name was different. Still, Remus' expression was disturbed.

Finally, he shuffled a step closer to Roman, bringing a hand up to shield his mouth with his knuckle, palm facing outward towards the snake.

" _ Ro, _ " he whispered, " _ This can't seriously be the guy you left the castle for. Where's his fashion sense? He looks like a bitch in mole's clothing-  _ Ow ow  _ ow!!"  _ Remus suddenly whined as Roman grabbed him by the ear, giving a sharp, annoyed tug even as relief swelled through him at the fact that Remus didn't know the sorcerer.

"Be nice," he demanded, and Remus pouted.

" _ beh mnice," _ he repeated mockingly, chuckling through little noises of pain as Roman tugged his ear a few times more. The golden twin finally let go, rolling his eyes, and Remus clasped his hands over his ears to stop him from doing it again. 

"Besides, we're going back to the castle. If you showed up a day later we wouldn't have been here."

"You're going back?" Remus asked, somewhat shocked. "Weren't you only gone for like, two days? Not even?"

"He's my  _ soulmate,  _ Remus," Roman slipped out, frustrated and waving a dismissive hand in the air. In his peripheral vision, he saw the snake suddenly tense. 

Oh, right, they hadn't had that conversation.

He quirked a brow towards Deceit, gesturing for him to say something- to play along.

"...yes." The snake declared, his voice smooth yet quiet with only a breath of hesitation. A smirk fell across his face, and he grabbed Roman's waist, pulling him close with a yelp and a bright red blush from the man. "Simply meant to be. Of  _ course _ everything will turn out alright, Remus- you have no reason to worry."

Roman was beginning to become addicted to the taste of that serpent's tongue in his ear. Something about Deceit's 'convincing' voice made him shiver slightly.

Remus shrugged, apparently unconcerned either way. "Whatever. Letting a guy that looks like  _ that  _ into the palace is a mistake on your part, but I'm sure Patton and Logan won't say anything- too cowardly."

"We let  _ you _ into the palace."

"Toupee!" The man exclaimed cheerily rather than "touché."

Roman rolled his eyes before brightening. "Hey, if we're going back, do you mind watching the creature while we're gone?"

"Virgil," Remus corrected, deadpan. "You mean Virgil."

"Yep! Dee here is oh-so-worried about them…" Roman reached, squeezing Deceit's cheeks in an undignified manner to solidify his point. The snake's eyes remained carefully blank as Roman showed him off while pouting at his brother. "My poor unfortunate  _ soulmate, _ " he said whinily, getting revenge on the other for pulling him close so suddenly. "He's so sad! Look at him, Re!" He demanded, pulling Deceit closer to Remus' own face. " _ Dee, be sad-  _ Look at him!!"

Finally, the snake put on an almost teary begging expression, pouting out his lower lip in a way that made Roman immediately want to release and protect him and made Remus wholly unaffected.

"...uh. Yeah, okay. I think I'm gonna stay with Virgil because I feel like it. None of that-" he gestured vaguely- "makes me want to stay for  _ you _ ."

"Yaknow, I didn't think it would, but it was worth a try," the knight huffed, shrugging a single shoulder as he released Deceit's face. He had the urge to ask why Remus still felt like staying- but knowing Remus, 'feeling like it' probably really was the only reason. "Thank you for staying anyway, even if it's not for me."

"No problem," Remus preened slightly at the thanks. "But of course, you owe me one! What do they eat?"

"Anything and everything meaty you can find," Dee responded. "They'll eat anything, but meat is their favorite."

Remus nodded solemnly. "I can relate."

"So you promise you'll take care of them?" Roman asked, coyly eyeing a very skeptical Deceit.

"Yeah, promise- now get ready and leave so we can be alone again! If I remember right I was in the middle of decorating their neck with all of my pretty little-"

" _ Point taken! We're going!"  _ Roman exclaimed, cheeks a blistering red as he shoved a now chuckling Deceit back into the house.

Remus decided he changed his mind. Roman's new boyfriend was, quite apparently, a man of culture. 

\----------------

The two were ready within the hour, now that the snake was no longer worried about taking care of Virgil. He explained to Remus where the most game lived in the forest and advised him to take a cart from the shed behind the house, much to Roman's whining- " _ what? Why didn't you tell me about the cart?" "Roman, you ran off before I could say a word of it." _

The snake and bird had little to pack with them to take back, but Roman was still somewhat relieved as Deceit led a white horse from the back to the front of the house. … alright, he was ecstatic to know that his steed was well, but it was a calm joy! A calm, squealing joy!

"Well, I did plan for us to eat it, but horse meat is quite tough and I couldn't envision a good recipe in time. You are lucky though, it might have only lasted another day."

Roman hugged the horse's neck, much to its annoyance after his trying to get rid of it. "Well, good, because you're not going to get another chance. There is  _ actual  _ food at the palace, after all."

Deceit quirked a brow, offendedly crossing his arms. "... my food is  _ actual _ food," he muttered, cheeks turning a human shade of pink.

"Yeah, but once you taste Patton's cooking, you  _ never _ go back," Roman chuckled, throwing a saddle over the horse as he pet the side of its neck reassuringly. Deceit tensed in the corner of his eye.

"Patton as in the prince?" The sorcerer asked, voice tightly strained, and Roman carefully nodded. "Why does he cook? He is the prince. Should he not be focusing on interrelated kingdom affairs?"

"Logan is better at all the paperwork stuff. Pat just kinda… does what he wants."

"He sounds highly irresponsible."

Roman didn't argue, only shrugging a little. "He's there when it counts. When he's needed, he-" the knight hesitated, voice dropping. "He'd do anything, for the kingdom. He has such a view of the 'greater good,' it's amazing- you just wouldn't know it, meeting him for the first time. You have to see him through the dark moments, too. The ones that hurt. He's stronger than he seems." Roman scoffed out a laugh. "I really admire him. We've been best friends forever. I think I want him to rub off on me. I'm kinda selfish like that." 

The snake traced his eyes over the other man, speaking of the prince with such giddy admiration, and he felt a horrible stab of something he hadn't expected. It was a stab of jealousy through his chest. He had to take a deep breath to soothe the feeling over. "I'm glad he makes you happy," he spoke, instead of the bitter words that were swirling in his stomach, but when Roman leapt onto the horse and flashed him a smile that seemed brighter than the sun it immediately parted the horrid clouds and replaced them with some sense of cathartic relief.

_ There are different forms of love, _ Deceit realized.  _ His love for the prince does not mean he loves me any less. _ The thought was rather soothing, for a moment. At least until the snake realized how dependent he was on the idea of Roman loving him. And then, suddenly, how awful that idea actually seemed. "Lightness, I am hopeless," he huffed under his breath, cheeks now pink in embarrassment of his thoughts as he pretended that something on the ground had quite distracted him. Roman blinked, blissfully oblivious. 

"... did you want to ride?" He asked, and Deceit mustered the energy to glare at him. After a second, Roman beamed. "You've never ridden."

"Yes, because I had so many opportunities," the snake said, gesturing to the forest around them. 

"That's alright, I can teach you on the way. It's a lot of fun! I don't want to hurt her though, so only one person on the horse at a time."

"That's reasonable, I suppose," Deceit said, looking to the horse now like a tool rather than a future meal or hindrance. It snorted as if to say, "my eyes are up here."

They bid their final farewells to Virgil and Remus with the promise to return in a week or two. It all felt rather surreal to Deceit, and a little overwhelming. He was leaving his home, because some knight had shown up at his house and requested that he do so. He was disobeying everything his father wanted of him, to frolic with princes and knights. What on earth had come over him?

He glanced to Roman, and knew. Not with words- that would be far too difficult to express- but something in him had the feeling he'd do anything for this knight. It was terrifying. The snake knew he had to use it, to keep the bird under control. If he didn't, he would become a weakness.

Deceit didn't think that Roman would be a weakness he could easily dispose of. He didn't think that Roman would be a weakness he could dispose of at all.

Love was such a fickle, picky little thing. 

As Roman promised, he taught the sorcerer to ride on the way, switching between each other to take breaks. He also explained the meaning behind his usage of the word "soulmate," earlier, and Deceit was almost disappointed to hear the truth.

"It's what I told Patton and Logan, when I left," he said. "And it's best to stick to one story. You're my soulmate, 'Dee,' who I found in my travels a few months ago and now am horribly bound to. We are dreadfully in love and we both despise it, if only a little."

Roman failed to mention his own suspicions that they may actually be soulmates. That would be too much to dump on the poor villain at once.

"I can pretend to love you," the snake said softly, as if he didn't already love the other, as if he wasn't pretending that he didn't, and he winked from his current position sat atop the horse. Roman's heart gave a flutter, and he almost tripped. "Just remember not to  _ actually  _ fall in love with me. That would be weird."

Yeah, as if Roman hadn't already crossed that bridge. The bird turned his head away, frustratingly red. It was Deceit's turn for his heart to skip a beat at the display. "...I won't fall in love with you," Roman responded, because he couldn't do something he'd already done. "But we're, uh, we're technically together anyway. What would even be the issue?" He asked. Deceit seemed to freeze a little at the question, blinking slowly.

"Well, my father would certainly not approve-"

"We've been over that hill, Deceit," Roman snorted.

"Do you understand how terrifying that would be?" The snake hissed suddenly. Roman's eyes flashed up to meet his. "To  _ be _ loved? It sounds just  _ awful _ . I- those feelings are horribly intense," he muttered, moving a hand to his own chest. "I would never want someone to go through that agony for a monster like me- especially to find that I am too scared to fully return their feelings."

"... is this still about us?" The bird chirped as Deceit took a deep breath, hesitating.

"Yes. Let me be more clear: I would not want you to love me, Roman, because I am afraid I could not give you all that you des-" another beat of hesitation, "...all that you deserve," he finished quietly, fingers tightly gripping the reigns. "I want to hurt you. But my heart despises even the idea- my heart wants to treasure everything, your eyes, your smile- and I know that you deserve to be treasured. But I am afraid that I am not the one to give you that. So this arrangement is temporary- until you find someone who can treat you as you deserve."

Deceit halted the horse, and Roman paused to look up at him only for a shiver to run down his spine as a gloved hand traced down his cheek and chin.

" _ Like a prince _ ."

Even the forest went silent. The only sound was the wind through the trees, singing a song of its own as Roman's cheeks slowly erupted into flame at just the idea.

He snapped his head to the side as his whole face seemed to burn, ears red and practically glowing as he silently continued walking.

If it weren't for the blush, Deceit might have thought he'd offended the man, but it was easy to tell the reaction was from a very different emotion.

He laughed a little before following in silence. 


	19. Please give him a hug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus' childhood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one specific part of this chapter that makes me feel honestly sick to think about. I surrounded it with ~~~TW UNDERAGE NONCON~~~. There is absolutely nothing graphic, but it's the kind of thing that Really makes your skin crawl and I'm just so sorry Remus.
> 
> The only information needed to be known from that little section is that knights (specifically the full image of a knight in armor) is a trigger for Remus.
> 
> Other trigger warnings include:  
> Murder of sleeping creatures  
> Vaguely implied underage throughout the chapter (but that part is the only one where it's really obvious)  
> Patton being a bit of a brat  
> Talk of lying  
> Abusive language from a parent  
> Thoughts of running away  
> Yelling  
> Suicidal thoughts   
> Mentions of execution   
> Self-hatred  
> Choking  
> Talk of theft  
> And gorey methods of murder (that aren't committed but are considered)
> 
> Yeah this one is kinda hopeless but I promise Remus will be happy soon :((
> 
> The whole chapter is also in italics to show that it is not current

_ "Remus!" Came the loud call of his father, and the four-year-old was dropping the wooden puzzle he'd bought in the market today in his underwear drawer, burying it and slamming the drawer shut to scamper down the stairs. They didn't get an allowance, his father would assume he stole the money, rather than his finding the tiny coins in the grass and under the furniture of their home. Best to keep it hidden, stashed away. _

_ "Roman!" The man screeched just as Remus appeared, standing in the doorway with wide eyes, near hiding behind the frame. His father's eyes drifted down to meet his. "Which one are you?" He asked. _

_ "Remuth," the boy said, shoulders a little hunched. "Roman' playin' with 'is new palathe friend." _

_ "Damn kid. He'd better steal some gold- make himself at least a little useful." _

_ Remus nodded sagely, as if he understood. He didn't, not really- well, he knew they were poor. Gold must be useful, like food or something, for his dad to want it. Silver was much prettier, but he couldn't eat silver, either. He just knew his mum liked it, when she was alive. They had a lot of dishes on the wall, but most of them were tarnished and old looking. Remus liked that about them, too. How they could be polished to a shine, no matter how dirty and old they got. Gold just wore away, the more you chipped at it. _

_ "We're having company, kid. Get this room cleaned." _

_ At that age, Remus hadn't known that Roman having a friend was saving him from something. It was only as he got older that it occurred to him. _

_ Roman became the trophy child, and Remus was the piece of trash, stuffed into a corner. _

_ His father realized it so quickly. _

_ By the time they were seven, Roman was the only one allowed to be seen in public with their father. He'd asked Remus a few times, if he wanted to go- always such a kind, considerate little knight, when he wasn't with Patton. _

_ The eyes of their father loomed over his shoulder, and Remus always said no. _

_ He was allowed to leave the house alone, still, and so he did. _

_ That's when he  _ met _ Patton. _

_ "Roman!" Called the child, and Remus looked up from his new monster book, used to responding to his brother's name. He'd gotten an allowance, after he'd agreed to not going outside with his father anymore, so there was one good thing. A silver penny a month.  _

_ The little prince halted, and Remus tilted his head curiously. _

_ "You're not him," Patton said, because Remus knew it was Patton. Who else? _

_ "Nuh-uh," Remus shook his head. Oddly enough, a bright light lit in his chest. To be recognized as himself, without someone having to ask- it was fantastic. _

_ "Well, what are you, then?" He asked, voice pompous as he stuck up his chin, like Remus was no more than a piece of dirt, but he was used to that, too.  _

_ Remus glanced to his little book, then back up. He hopped to his feet and growled, raising his arms and dropping the book. "I'm a  _ monthter!" _ He yelled at the little prince, and the other shrieked in fear. "I've taken control of Roman's body, and you'll never see him again! He'th  _ dead!"

_ "No!" Patton gasped in fear, and Remus cackled- which certainly must have added to his image.  _

_ He wondered how he should feel. Why hadn't Roman mentioned him? Why hadn't Roman talked about him? Why hadn't Roman invited him out? _

_ Why, why, why? _

_ "I'm tellin' my dad! He'za king! He'll get you esecutered!" _

_ "Ekthecuted," Remus corrected the best he could, and the little prince gasped again before running off. _

_ His cries of "Demon!" Rang through the air, and Remus laughed, laying out on the ground. _

_ Being executed probably wouldn't be so bad. _

_ There would be so many people watching. _

_ Staring. _

_ And he could stare back, unhindered- overjoyed with all the attention he could ever want. _

_ What was that his father often called him…? Attention whore? _

_ Yeah. He liked that idea. _

_ He sighed happily as he watched the clouds. _

_ It didn't last. _

_ "I am so sorry." _

_ Remus heard the muffled voice of his father, waking him from his nap in the sun. Blearily he pushed himself to his feet, hobbling around the edge of the house to watch. _

_ His father was home, and Roman was hidden around his leg as he bowed low to a group of men in pretty silver armor, with pretty silver weapons at their sides and in their hands. Remus spied the little prince hiding behind one of their legs- the one his father was bowing to, and it suddenly occurred to him that the man was bowing to the little brat himself. _

_ He scoffed, and curious blue eyes flashed to meet his before widening in terror. _

_ "That's the demon!" The prince gasped, and two sets of green eyes followed the first. _

_ Remus barely had the chance to scramble to turn before he was being lifted by the sash of his bag, and he was choking as his father carried him over like a wily kitten, thrashing and wiggling to get away as complete panic seized in his chest. He was terrified, it was hard to breathe, but his father was looking at him like a piece of rotted meat and Roman appeared delighted at his brother's misfortune. _

_ Their father dropped him like a sack of potatoes, and Remus fell to his knees immediately, skinning his hands and gasping, choked out in pain. _

~~~TW IMPLIED UNDERAGE NONCON~~~

_ "I truly apologize for all the trouble, good sirs," his father now apologized to the knights as Remus sat there. "It seems to be all he's good for." The man pretended to think for a moment, and Remus could tell it was just pretend, because he was used to pretending- and used to being able to tell when Roman was pretending. "Well, there is one other thing," he laughed, and Remus dug his fingers into the dirt, enjoying the pain in his palms as his eyes stung with tears. _

_ That night, Roman stayed with his friend, the prince- and Remus couldn't be asked on his own experience. He'd forgotten it, after all- pushed it to the back of his mind where he couldn't remember if he tried. He'd long since decided it was better that way. _

~~~TW IMPLIED UNDERAGE NONCON~~~

_ Roman wasn't as good at being able to tell when he was pretending, Remus realized when they were nine. Remus always knew when Roman was pretending. There were little ticks that showed he was lying- he had a twitch in his left shoulder, and his right eyebrow would always be just a fraction lower than his left. Patton was easy, too. His eyes would get too wide, and there weren't any smile crinkles, and when he pretended to be sad or mad his shoulders would hunch to his ears. _

_ Remus' father was like Roman. Subtle, small things. His temples would dent in, and his throat would flex out- just a little.  _

_ "I hate you," said Patton, and it wasn't a lie, but it still made Remus hate himself all the more. _

_ "You're a burden to society, a good-for-nothing," said his father, and it wasn't a lie, but it still made Remus want to die all the same. _

_ "I want to be a knight," said Roman, and it wasn't a lie, but it still made Remus flinch.  _

_ "Why in hell would'you wanna do that?" Remus asked, laying on his back next to his brother, holding his new book about mermaids and magic up to the sky, shading his face as the child tried to ignore how just that word made his heart race, made him wanna curl in on himself into the fetal position, like it would be safer. _

_ "'Cause then I c'n protect Pat!" Roman exclaimed happily, gesturing with his hands in the sky as he watched the clouds. "He's so nice 'n good! 'Nd I wanna be with him always!" _

_ "Don't you wanna be with me, alwayth?" Remus asked on a sad note that he knew Roman wouldn't hear. He hadn't gotten much better with his lisp, but he'd gotten better at saying words that didn't have any lispy letters. _

_ "You can live in th'palace, too!" Roman exclaimed, sitting up, and Remus winced at just the idea.  _

_ "Don't wanna," he said shortly, and Roman's expression fell. _

_ "Aww, but why not?" He pouted, and Remus' shoulders hunched up. "Patt'n would love you there! The whole pretend team!" _

_ "Jutht don't wanna," he said, not deigning to mention how Patton hated him. _

_ After all, Roman thought that was all pretend. _

_ When Remus was ten, Roman applied to be a knight, and he and his father went on a trip alone. _

_ He really did hate the man. _

_ If he weren't Roman's father, too, he might have killed him then. He wanted to. Standing over the other's sleeping body as they camped, a rock in hand, he imagined hundreds of ways to kill him.  _

_ Smash his brains, whispered his mind. _

_ Grab his knife, stab his heart. _

_ Choke him in his sleep. _

_ Kill him, all of the little voices said, and he dropped the rock- turned to walk away. _

_ His mind whispered that he was garbage, but he was used to that by now. _

_ With nothing but a nightgown on, he wandered off. _

_ It would be easier to run, wouldn't it? Easier to escape. _

_ Ah, but then he'd never see Roman again- the only one to ever treat him with even a shred of kindness. _

_ He tripped, stood, and kept walking. _

_ He just needed somewhere quiet, alone. Somewhere just for himself, away from that man. _

_ Something in him kept him walking. There were voices around him, whispering, but he was used to that. They grew louder one way, so he stayed away. He ended at the mouth of a cave, and kept walking. _

_ He couldn't see anything, but he didn't need to. He didn't feel any pain anymore, his legs numb from walking. The whispers grew quieter, and quieter, until finally, there was silence. _

_ Remus took a deep breath. _

_ Even his own thoughts were silent. He wasn't sure he remembered a time when that had been, and yet… _

_ It was wonderful. _

_ So he kept walking, an odd feeling rising in his chest. Like when Patton had recognized that he wasn't Roman, but so much better. Even then his thoughts had been spinning, and now, they were blank. _

_ He thought he was imagining the light in the cave at first, green tinging off the edges of the rocks, but as it grew brighter- more defined- he realized it was real. And that this light was what he was looking for, what he needed. _

_ He turned a corner, and there it was. _

_ It was as if it was waiting for him, and him alone. A green gem, floating in the air, surrounded by vines that hovered just an inch or so away, and little lights like fireflies, twinkling around it. It was beautiful, and Remus had the thought that he must be unworthy, that he couldn't come any closer, but something pushed him onward. _

_ He took a step, and it looked just as inviting as before. Another step, another, nothing forcing him away as he reached for it- small hands reaching in and grasping the gem. _

_ It felt… alive. Pulsing like a heart in his hands, only this one rendered him speechless, barely able to breathe at the feeling. _

_ Two of the lights fluttered down, swirling around his hands, landing one on each, and he thought they would hurt but they didn't- they sent a bolt through him, hitching his breath and sending a shiver down his back. _

_ "You're me," he finally whispered to the light settled on his left hand, and it seemed to blink in confirmation, reflecting off of his eyes. "But you- who-?" He asked, and the light on his right hand blinked as well. It ached to see it- like something he desperately needed, wanted, but couldn't have yet. It seemed to flutter, and he wanted to cry. "Don't leave," he begged of it, "please, don't," _

_ The light blinked again, painfully slow, then flew up, circling around his hands a few more times with his own light, until his eventually caught up to it and they spun together, as if to tell him it would be alright. Still it ached, and Remus wasn't even sure what it was- the longing he couldn't shake as he slowly fell to his knees, feeling more battered and broken down than ever before as all the little golden lights faded to nothing and he was left clutching a shining green stone to his chest. _

_ His father didn't take it from him, when he got back. Maybe there was something feral in his expression, like he'd bite the man's hand off if he even tried. He probably would. _

_ Remus knew what the stone was- he'd read about it in his books on monsters. There were always methods of countering them. It always fell to magic. _

_ So he used his allowance to buy more books on the subject. _

_ Earth magic wasn't as fickle as air magic. Or water magic. Air liked to be particular- always exact, always perfectly poised and disgusting like that. Swirly and unnecessarily complicated. Water magic was also horribly complicated- the least studied of the four, because few people could just dabble in more complicated spells, and there were only a few that most everyone could do. It seemed utterly awful to Remus. Your words were meant to spin like a whirlpool, but only when it was a spell meant for attack, and otherwise they should flow like a river, or maybe more like a lake, and blah, blah, blah. Basically one had to write poetry, but the right Kind, and the water spirits were horribly picky about the whole thing.  _

_ Earth was perfect for Remus. It was hardly all of the complications of air and water. No, for earth, it simply required your words be backwards. _

_ Oh, it took practice, but Remus had practiced years of learning to talk without a lisp- talk like someone he wasn't. Fantastically, earth spirits didn't even care when he lisped, or when he screwed up a word- just as long as they could understand the gist of it. He didn't even need to apologize! They just listened and did the best they could. _

_ He made a staff with their help, and he was immensely grateful to them for proving he wasn't a complete failure.  _

_ Magic was like the connection to that silver lined feeling in his chest that Remus had begun to identify as happiness. It was pure, flowing, and good. _

_ When Remus was eleven, his father took him on another trip. The man had become used to Remus carrying the staff around- it had become an extension of himself, a part of him. _

_ While his father slept, Remus wondered if this was a second chance- if he was  _ supposed  _ to kill him. His fingers tightened on his staff- and again, he walked away. _

_ The thoughts didn't dull this time, the whispers didn't quiet, and as Remus walked he came across a sleeping family of pixies, nestled inside of a tree. And he stared, contemplating. _

_ They were monsters, after all. Just like himself. _

_ Just like his father. _

_ Hatred rose in his chest, red and hot and burning and he aimed his staff towards them, squaring his feet and his expression at once as he commanded them to die. _

_ His staff shot out a green light, and the creatures were suddenly stone. _

_ Sickening relief roared inside of the child's chest in the suddenly silent forest as he stood there, staff still aimed at the things. _

_ They'd never move again. They would be like that forever. _

_ Remus turned and walked back, and he didn't feel even a touch of sadness as he laid again next to his father, staff clutched tight to his chest as he stared into the night sky with a new ambition in his eyes. _


	20. Underwater Escapades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus thinks about lies. Virgil shows him their second favorite treasure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for:  
> Lots of cursing near the end  
> Lying  
> Crying  
> Almost drowning (but not really)

"Dee, this is my brother, Remus. Remus, this is Dee."

Dee, hm? Remus' gaze slowly slid to his brother, watched as his left shoulder twitched back nervously- watched as his right brow quirked lower. Just a hair.

As if. 

He leaned in close to Roman, cupping his hand around his mouth, and-

Well, there was no need to make a big deal about it.

But he watched as Roman lied, watched carefully.

The stranger's tics were even quieter than Roman's, even quieter than their father's. It was a blink, a fluttered lash- but when he lied while blinking, his brows rose together. Barely even noticeable, barely even there, but Remus saw it. And he memorized it.

"We're soulmates," said Roman with different words, and it wasn't a lie.

"We're soulmates," repeated Dee with different words, and his brows rose, and Remus blinked furiously as the sight.

He hadn't gotten the tic wrong- that was it. The raised brows when he blinked.

So why, then, was this stranger lying about their being soulmates-

And yet, Roman was not?

He looked between them with a carefully blank expression, but said nothing about it, even as they finally left.

What would be the use?

"What's wrong?" Asked the merperson as it breached the water of the lake.

It was nearing night now, and instead of inside, here Remus sat at the edge of the water, laid on his belly as he stared into its depths- the depths he'd already seen, could have so easily died from.

His thoughts swirled that it would have been a relief. 

_ What's wrong?  _ Had anyone ever asked him that? How was he meant to answer?

"Nothing," he finally said, looking away, and Virgil giggled.

"You're an awful liar."

His eyes, fixed then on a blade of grass, slowly turned their gaze on the person in the water, an indiscernible expression on his face and an indescribable feeling rising in his chest as those words filtered through him.

"... I'm a what?" He asked, the words so foreign he couldn't even imagine it.

"You're an awful liar," they said again, tilting their head as a coy smile played on their face. "Your nose twitches up a little, and your eyebrows go down, and your throat bulges out, and- and- Remus, are you crying?" Virgil asked suddenly, rushing to rise a little more out of the water in panic, cupping the sides of Remus' cheeks just as the human let out a sob.

"I- gHh, I am?" He asked through heaving breaths, like he couldn't feel it- like he couldn't hear it, his fingers rising to hold Virgil's own against his face.

A liar. 

Fireflies, it felt  _ fantastic _ to be called a liar.

But that wasn't the problem, was it?

"No one could ever tell," he choked out, nails squeezing into Virgil's skin and the other didn't seem to mind- expression heart-wrenchingly soft as they cupped Remus' cheeks with a concern Remus couldn't handle. It  _ hurt,  _ to feel this cared for- like all of Virgil's attention was on him, like it would never stray. They took off his mask, careful and slow before placing their hands back on Remus' cheeks, and he realized he loved them. It was love at first sight, and he'd known it then and he knew it now. Roman had always liked those stories more, yet here Remus was- smitten and  _ aching _ over another. "I- I can't do this, Virgil, it hurts  _ so much, _ " he cried, eyes clenching shut as tears rolled down his cheeks and over the other's hands.

"What does?" Virgil asked in a voice too soft to bear, and Remus desperately wanted to be stuffed into a tiny space, hiding under the cabinet where he wouldn't feel so  _ seen. _

"Love," he responded simply. His eyes shone as he opened them. "You're- you're so kind, so observant, and- hell, Virgil, why did we have to get  _ feelings _ involved- why did I have to- you could have just used me, and then we'd be done with it! I didn't expect it to  _ hurt  _ so bad!"

There was a second of confused silence from the other. "... I don't understand," they finally admitted. "It doesn't hurt me. It only hurts to- to see you cry.  _ This  _ hurts. But nothing else. Everything else is nice. Did I do something wrong?"

"You noticed when I lied," Remus sniffled. "You noticed, and you asked, and nobody else has ever cared enough about me to do that."

Another pause, but this one was horrified. "Remus, that's  _ awful, _ " the merperson said. "I- I've always, Father and Dee both care about me, didn't father- your father- didn't Roman-?" But Remus was shaking his head before Virgil had finished, closing his eyes and letting a few more tears fall as he clutched Virgil's hands like they were his last tie to earth. "That's  _ awful, _ " they repeated, and Remus choked on a laugh.

"Is it?"

"Yes!" They exclaimed, and their tail splashed behind them with such enthusiasm. "When- when it is so easy to tell, that-" the merperson bit their tongue, unable to say what was on their mind.

When it was so obvious, the only reason that nobody would call Remus out on his lies was that they didn't care to. That they didn't care about  _ him. _ And Virgil wasn't nearly that heartless, to tell their love that they thought they were the first person in the entire world to care about him. Roman  _ had _ to care, right? He wasn't the careless type, but how on earth would he miss so many signs?

They physically shook their head to keep their thoughts from spilling over.

"Do you want to see something?" They asked, forcibly changing the subject.

Watching Remus cry hurt too much.

"Depends," the human sniffled. "What is it?"

"It's my treasure."

"I already saw that."

"Not my shiny human treasure- it is a different treasure. My favorite one. Besides you, because you're my favorite treasure now. My second favorite treasure."

"It's underwater?" Remus asked, finally pulling a hand from Virgil's to wipe his own tears with a shaky breath.

"Yes, but it is worth it. You just have to hold your breath for a while. If it is too far, just tap me and I will bring you up again, but- I  _ think _ humans can hold their breath long enough."

The magician considered for a moment, staring at their hands before he nodded. "Okay," he said on a quiet breath.

"You promise to tap me if it is too far? If I drown you I will be rather upset, after all that planning of your death," Virgil declared, and Remus gave a gleeful little snort that had the merperson's heart rising in their chest.

"I promise," Remus repeated, and Virgil smiled.

"Alright, take a deep breath."

\----------------

It was extremely soothing under the water, when he wasn't drowning.

The light from the sunset on the surface barely filtered through five feet down, and then it was pitch black- or it would be, if not for the merperson's glow.

Remus thought that was, currently, his favorite physical aspect about them. It wasn't all of their scales, but circles and swirls down their tail. It was the inside of the gills on their sides, their freckles and their eyes, and Remus had no doubt that despite his own inability to see a thing Virgil could see clear as day. It was fascinating- how different they were.

The human's arms were linked loosely around their neck, allowing them to drag him down to the bottom where he had almost been drowned, over a ledge and further down, until Remus' ears popped at the rapid descent and his breath ached to hold, but he didn't tap.

There were voices in his head, like the voices of the dead, and he closed his eyes as he listened to their incoherent words in a language he didn't understand.

They went deeper, and still Remus didn't tap. He was sure Virgil could tell he was nearing his limit regardless, just by his grip around the other's neck.

Voices silenced themselves one by one as they made their way to their destination, and Remus had a feeling he already knew where they were going. He would have laughed, if it wouldn't drown him.

Finally, Virgil flipped his fins into an air pocket, and Remus gasped for breath in the underwater cave, lungs heaving as he clung to a rather unimpressed Virgil like a drowned rat. 

"You promised," the merperson pouted, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"We made it, didn't we?" He coughed.

"It's not in here, exactly, so no. … but I guess we made it far enough. You are going to have to hold your breath again."

"The voices are silent."

"The what?" Virgil snorted as Remus relaxed on his back, breathing softer now- no longer gasping for life.

"The voices. I can't hear them anymore. I think I know what you're taking me to, and I don't think it will make me as happy as you believe it will." He paused in thought. "I specialize in earth magic, Virgil. Water is- it's too complicated, it doesn't suit me. I'm not a poet, I'm rather far from it."

" _ What  _ are you on about?" Virgil exclaimed. 

"It's a magic stone, Virgil. It feels the same- when I first got my earth stone, it's- it's like that. There were so many voices, but the closer I got, the quieter they were." His eyes opened, peering at Virgil over their shoulder. "And the voices are silent now."

"... well, that spoils the surprise. I just thought it was an egg."

"An egg?" The human exclaimed, confused. Virgil nodded.

"It has always been there. Since I can remember. But it was smaller back then."

"They grow?" Remus asked, surprised. "I never read that, but- it makes sense. Most of the gems I've seen are a lot smaller than mine."

"So it is not an egg, but like a plant!" Virgil exclaimed suddenly. "That makes me like it even more! Plants never grow in my waters, so the only ones I usually see are blades of grass- and the distant trees."

The merperson sounded almost wistful, and Remus didn't miss it.

"But you get to see animals and eggs?" The human asked, somewhat humored.

"The ones that knights bring- that the humans bring me. Some of them had pets."

"Ahh," Remus said softly. "Safe to assume that they're-?"

"They're all dead now," Virgil said cheerfully. "But they were nice company, while they were still alive. Both the humans and their pets." 

Remus took another long breath, then smiled. "Alright. I'm ready to see the stone."

"Okay, hold your breath," Virgil requested, and they went under again.

The feeling was familiar, Remus thought. Familiar, but not the same, and at first he couldn't pinpoint what exactly was different.

"Are you okay?" Virgil asked in that whale-like drone, high and beautiful, and Remus nodded as he realized just what it was. 

He was alone last time. Alone and depressed, and he'd thought the hope he'd found at that cave was the last hope he would  _ ever  _ find. That the happiness there would be all he had. But there was something groundingly reassuring about having Virgil with him for this, and as they dove and the gem came into view, shining a gorgeous blue with those hovering lights around it as the glowing quality in Virgil's scales lightened again to nothing, Remus had a sudden calm spread from his chest outward.

Something told him that everything would be fine, and without hesitation, he believed it.

He released Virgil gently, moving his hands first to the merperson's shoulders before releasing one and linking the other with their fingers, giving a gentle squeeze.

"I've been afraid to touch it," Virgil said. "Afraid it holds everything together, afraid something inside would die."

Remus raised his hand questioningly towards the stone, cheeks puffed out adorably as he held his breath. 

"I-" the merperson hesitated, gaze dropping to the stone, brows furrowed. "You wouldn't try to take it to the surface? I adore you, but I'm- I'm afraid. Afraid you'll just leave me."

Remus nodded seriously, grinned, and kissed them gently, floundering a little to stay steady with the movement under the water. Virgil gave a soft smile of their own, glancing once more at the gem.

"Alright, you can touch it, just- be careful?" They pleaded, and Remus gave them a look that was meant to say "me? Careful? Who do you think you're looking at? Alright, just for you, pumpkin," and in his opinion, he conveyed the message perfectly.

The human reached out his hand, eyes wide as two lights fluttered down, and he was smiling giddily as they spun around his fingers, down his arm, around his head and down his other arm- onto Virgil's, where they repeated the process, much to the merperson's own nerves.

"They've never acted like this before, are they angry?" They asked, and Remus shook his head, an almost manic glint in his eye. He stopped reaching for the stone and instead held out a hand. The two lights wasted little time fluttering to it, blinking cheerfully in his palm. He brought up his other hand with Virgil's still linked in it and callously dumped the lights into their hand, which made them shriek in a rather funny way, jolting back for just a moment before relaxing.

"Oh- they- they tickle," they said uncomfortably, and Remus tilted his head.

The human pointed to one, then pointed to himself, and Virgil nodded in the way one would nod when talking to someone where you didn't quite hear what they said but needed to pretend like you did. And then Remus kissed them again, and they decided they really didn't care that the man was rather confusing.

Again Remus reached out to the gem with a small amount less care, scooping it up like a cat by the middle.

He was beautiful like this, Virgil thought. The blue shone in his green eyes and his hair floated in the water around him like a halo. And yet somehow- it suited him. The manic look in his grin softened just to the point of adoration ladened at the stone. The lights around them faded but the blue stayed strong, shining against his skin. And Remus' brows, crooked forward in confusion- his chest heaving with breath- the- well, that wasn't right.

"I can breathe," Remus said.

"You can breathe," Virgil realized at the same time, eyes widening to the point of stars. "With the stone?"

"I suppose. Wouldn't want to see what would happen if I let go of it."

"You don't seem happy," Virgil flicked their tail anxiously as Remus frowned.

"... I feel that the water spirits are expecting more out of me than I can give them."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not a poet, Virgil. Flowy words aren't my cup of dukey! I'm abrupt, and loud, and I like  _ being  _ that way- but only earth spirits  _ prefer _ that. Water magic is… different, and the fact that the spirits are gifting me with this just from touching the stone is terrifying." He bit the corners of his lip and spoke quieter. "I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint them, simply by being myself. It's a bit of a habit."

"This isn't common?" The merperson questioned instead of addressing the current issue, their curiosity getting the better of them.

"Hell nah," the human rolled his shoulders. "I mean- from what I've heard in taverns, manifesting magic on  _ accident _ usually comes from being predestined to use that magic in the first place- and if you  _ avoid  _ your destiny for long enough, the spirits stop caring about the stones, or what you know. So… even if I hadn't found this stone, I would, eventually, be able to breathe underwater and do other water magic without a stone- because the spirits would have stopped caring about their own rules- too impatient for 'fate' to play out."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It's uncontrolled!" Remus exclaimed. "I  _ love _ a lack of control, don't get me wrong, but- without a stone, the magic has no focus, and without knowing the  _ style _ of the spirits you're dealing with, you're more likely to offend and upset them, and then things get  _ really  _ fucky." He frowned pointedly and sighed. "But this just makes me more worried- I assumed that I was  _ meant  _ to be an earth specialist, but if water spirits have already reached the point of 'gifting' me just for having a stone-"

"You'll be able to do air and fire magic without trying," Virgil finally breathed in understanding.

"If I'm fated to them too, yeah. Hell! This is a bunch of bolocky! I fucking hate air magic! There's so many little rules and stipulations, those spirits are gonna  _ hate  _ me! And  _ that's  _ gonna be a  _ disaster! _ "

"So what happens if they hate you?"

"Let's just say I really don't want to be responsible for a tornado tearing through the palace because I didn't play Simon Says with one of those fuckers," the human growled. "Meaning I need an Air stone ASA-fucking-P. And fire, but I don't think I'll struggle so much with them. They're still very loud and direct, and they take a long time to get angry. Air and Water are like walking on fucking icicles, but if I break one then the kingdom collapses from some bullshit weather phenomenon."

"Oh," the merperson breathed, frozen in place. "So you are going to leave?" Their voice was strained and high, shoulders tense. Remus looked to them curiously before realization dotted his features.

"I'll have to eventually, I guess," he muttered. "Unless we find a way for you to- to walk on land," and here his laugh came but as it choked itself off he fell to thought. "Virgil, how deep does this lake go? How far?"

"I don't know," they admitted. "I've been too scared to go much further than here."

"Do you want to find out?"

Their eyes shone. "With you?"

He nodded, and their sharklike teeth spread in a viciously wide smile that had Remus' heart skipping a beat.

"I'd love to," the merperson exclaimed, and Remus smiled back.


	21. Lovable Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman introduces Deceit to the princes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: arguing, shouting, lying, but mostly its just communication ^^

It was the middle of the night when Roman and Deceit arrived back at the kingdom, and the snake found the darkness eerie. 

Deceit was used to the forest. Even when there was no sound, there was sound- the distant rustling of leaves, the sound of wind through the trees, the creature splashing in the water- but the only sound here was the clopping of the horse's feet and Deceit's own as he walked next to it. It was a silence one shouldn't disturb, loud in and of itself.

And yet, even with the silence, the snake found himself falling ever further for the boisterous knight on the horse next to him, chest stuck out with pride and joy at being where he would call 'home.' Despite the terror Deceit would not admit to having, Roman's presence was a comfort. He was so obviously and clearly happy, as if the darkness and silence did not bother him.

"You seem cheery," Deceit said, interrupting it with a whisper that still seemed too loud. 

"It's wonderful during the day, I promise," the bird chirped, and Deceit couldn't help but believe the eager words as they made their way to the castle.

Two knights stood at the gates of the wall surrounding the palace, and the snake couldn't help but tense as he and his company walked up without hesitation. If these two knew who he was, they would take his life in his sleep. This could so easily be a trap, but, no- Roman would not be so foolish, and Deceit didn't want to believe that the other would lie to him. 

"Good evening," Roman projected cheerfully, hopping down from his horse, and Deceit flinched at the loud noise even as the two knights seemed to relax at the sound of Roman's voice. "Patton's not usually one for a night guard, what has you two out so late?"

They seemed to hesitate, and Roman's face fell slightly. "Is everything alright?"

"... an attempt was made on the princes' lives," one of them explained, and Roman gasped in horror as Deceit's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh my lights, are they okay?!"

"They were unhurt, but the king has requested we tighten security, and the prince has not argued."

Roman's lips seemed to tighten, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. 

One of the guards- the one who wasn't talking- kept glancing to Deceit, and on impulse, the villain bared his fangs. Or- well, he would have, had he had one to bare or show. Instead it was more like a somewhat twisted snarl.

"Who is your company, sir Roman? … is that-?" The talkative one questioned, and Roman grabbed Deceit's hand, sending a shock down the sorcerer's spine even through his glove and knocking the nasty look immediately off his face to be replaced by one that was much more flushed and bashful.

"My soulmate, Dee," Roman claimed, lacing their fingers together, and Deceit found he couldn't quite remember how talking worked, so he only nodded dazedly.

"Leave it to you…" the knight chuckled. "You face the most rare and challenging obstacles, and still succeed so easily. It's a wonder you're not a commander yet."

"I think being a knight suits me. Those higher-ups are all such sticks in the mud, I would be  _ stifled _ . Imagine! One of them going off to search for their soulmate! No, this position fits me just fine."

"Perhaps, but you should consider it. I doubt even one of them could say you haven't proven yourself enough to be their equal at this point."

"Perhaps," Roman repeated, grinning easily. "We should be off, now. Patton will want to meet him."

"Of course. Goodnight, sir. We can handle your steed and belongings.

"Goodnight, and thank you," Roman sent back, walking forward through the castle gates.

"Well, that was easy," Deceit managed to breathe softly, despite how the current hold on his hand distracted him with pleasantly soothing tingles up his arm. "You're a bit of a big deal?"

Roman snorted. "Why do you think the princes sent me to give you your gift in the first place?" He said, hushed on his own. "I was the only one they trusted to return alive."

"I could have killed you."

"Yet you did not, and aren't you lucky?"

"Me?" Deceit asked, flabbergasted. "You're the one lucky not to have  _ died _ ,"

"Perhaps, but you are lucky to be able to see me and hear my voice- so clearly, you are more lucky than I," Roman responded cheerfully, and Deceit gave a huff of a sigh as the knight winked at him.

"Where are we going?" The sorcerer questioned instead of dignifying that with a response, and Roman hummed in thought.

"We can greet the princes first. They may be sleeping but Patton loves surprises, so I'm sure they won't mind. They certainly won't be expecting me back this soon. I told them I had to search for you, so we shall have to pretend there was a pull- and that the closer I was, the more sure I was of where you were. What village shall you be from?"

"I would struggle to lie about that. I couldn't give the least bit of social knowledge. Say I am a hermit from the forest, it's telling just enough of the truth that I may lie accurately."

"Got it," Roman said, leading the snake through the castle easily- not thinking to release his hand, and Deceit didn't even think to ask. It had grown comfortable there.

"You know what is strange?" The snake started, and Roman gave a questioning hum. "I could swear there  _ was _ a pull. It was the tiniest thing, but just before you arrived… it was as if I knew you were coming, I don't know."

"That is strange," Roman said, although he didn't sound particularly shocked at the news. 

"You felt nothing, right?" Deceit tried, wanting to confirm it- to just get it through his own head that such a thing was insane. Yet, instead of instantly responding, Roman stopped, and the sorcerer stopped as well- stood in the hall with their hands linked for a moment longer until Roman pulled his from Deceit's grasp. The loss was like a stab wound, which was dramatic yet oddly accurate.

"I-" he hesitated. "I cannot say I felt  _ nothing _ ."

For just a second, Deceit searched his gaze. His eyes lit after a moment in understanding. "That's why you came back," and he didn't need a verbal confirmation to know he was right- not with how pink the bird's cheeks went as he twittered in alarm. "You- because you felt it too. You never wanted to be my  _ servant _ ,-"

"That's  _ not-"  _ Roman protested,

"You were the one lying to me _ , _ " Deceit breathed suddenly, voice hushed but earnest. The realization that Roman was  _ still  _ trying to lie to him about this had an unfamiliar feeling like anger pooling in the sorcerer's chest. "Are- you  _ are. _ So tell the truth now, as I promised to do with you- as I  _ have done _ . Why did you return in the first place?"

"... I wanted to make you better," Roman said. "I saw potential in you, and I wanted to-  _ convert you, _ I guess. And I still do, even more now, but- there was a pull, yes. It was a feeling in my chest, kind of, and the closer I got to you the stronger it was again. So there was a pull, but I think-" his voice cut off suddenly, and his face turned completely red.

"You think?" Deceit prompted.

"... I think I might've used the servant thing as an excuse," Roman admitted. "Because I didn't think, at first, that we could be- that you could be my-"

"Soulmate," Deceit breathed. "Oh my lights," he said, and his world was crashing around him, and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry, or  _ shout _ . "You actually  _ believe _ that we are-?"

"I  _ don't,"  _ Roman forced out, but it was such a clear lie, and one he so obviously didn't want to tell, voice strained around the words.

"You  _ do,"  _ Deceit pushed. "You think we are soulmates. It isn't even a story, one to cover my presence here- you  _ believe _ that."

"I didn't at  _ first _ !" The bird squeaked, voice still quiet but with the power afforded from frustration. "It was a story when I first left- it was a lie. But I spent time with you, and we touched, and we  _ kissed- _ "

"And you  _ fooled yourself-" _

_ "And I fell in love with you!"  _ Roman finally hissed- near shouted, shoving Deceit back by the shoulders. The pretense of quiet under the night fell away, greeted with resounding silence and terror the second after. So much for staying one step ahead of the villain when he got to the castle. The knight took a shaky breath, slapping his hand against his face, and his voice was quiet again- near silent, paired with a delirious giggle. "I fell in love. And I lied, because you don't  _ want  _ that- you do not wish for my love. But it is so strong and so true that I cannot  _ imagine  _ it being a hinderance. So yes, Deceit, I believe we are soulmates- because I cannot imagine a reality where we are not."

The villain was silent, eyes wide and  _ fearful  _ with the news- why? Why was he so afraid of the idea of being Roman's  _ soulmate? _ "So to Remus, to your brother- it was not-?"

"I wasn't lying," Roman sighed. "I'm sorry if that's…" he trailed off.

He didn't mean to be a  _ disappointment. _

It took another moment, but suddenly there was a gloved hand in his own, and magic sparked up his arm, up his spine with the contact. Deceit wouldn't meet his eyes, but-

This was good, right? For the sorcerer to do something so soft in such a vulnerable moment. To not delight in Roman's weakness, but to show weakness of his own. It certainly didn't seem the move of a snake- but Roman realized, in that moment, that he wasn't speaking with the snake- he was speaking with  _ Deceit _ \- and the man was far more frail than the snake in him liked to show.

"I hate you," Deceit muttered, but their fingers did not part- in fact, the sorcerer laced them, holding them tighter as he glared at where they met. "I  _ hate  _ you. You are the most terrifying thing to have ever entered my life, the worst mistake I've ever made."

"You don't have to return them," Roman said breathlessly, squeezing his hand back- rewarding the gentle delivery of the words. "You don't have to treat me any differently, either."

"But I  _ want  _ to," the snake hissed. "Roman, you don't understand, I-" he stuttered, found it hard to breathe- smooshed his other hand against his face in frustration. "I  _ hate  _ you," he said, because those words were easier. It was easier than the three he found he wanted to say- the three that would change everything.

"... you-" Roman started, finally understanding the issue, and a brilliant grin bloomed across his face as he did. "Then you don't have to say it back. You don't need to  _ speak _ , or even act like I've said  _ anything _ ."

"You have no expectations?"

"I love you as you are."

"Stop  _ saying it!"  _ Deceit demanded, but Roman's voice tilted into a giggle.

"You told me to stop lying, so make up your mind- because _finally,_ I've made up mine. God, these past few days have been _torture-_ I'm so happy I could kiss you,"

"You can anyway, imbecile," the villain huffed, but he was a little taken aback when Roman's hands suddenly cupped his cheeks and pulled him down- demanding in a kiss that Deceit didn't know whether to pull away from or push towards, but he didn't need to make up his mind because it was over before he even had the chance.

"Did it," Roman trilled breathlessly- giggling, and if Deceit hadn't been in love before he certainly was now. "Ready to meet the princes?"

"As I'll ever be," the snake responded, flushed, and Roman grinned- grabbed his hand again and dragged him along once more.

It wasn't long before they reached a grand set of doors, once again guarded by a set of two knights that quickly softened upon seeing Roman. The bird put a finger to his lips, walking directly up to the doors and wrapping on the wood- repeated, over and over, until shuffling came from the other side.

" _ Hush love, I will deal with it _ ," sounded Logan's voice, and Roman had to hold back giggles as he kept knocking, not even pausing in the rhythm. " _ I'm coming, just a moment,"  _ Logan called, but still Roman didn't stop, and when the door was flung open the person who did so appeared horribly disgruntled- like an angry kitten- until he saw who it was. The prince glanced between Roman and Deceit, gaze morphing to a tired glare.

"... Nevermind, Patton, I will need your assistance," he sighed after a moment, releasing the doors to throw his hands in the air and walk back into the room, and Roman took it as an invitation to drag both himself and Deceit inside. 

"Patton," Roman greeted as he entered, smiling cheerfully as the dog sat up slowly in bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Mm, Roro?" He questioned sleepily, and when that processed he seemed to wake instantly- eyes widening sweetly. "... Roman!" He squeaked, stumbling out of his sheets and straight into Roman's arms. The knight had to release his grip on Deceit's hand to hug him back. "And-" the prince stuttered, pulling away almost instantly to look to the newest man in the room. He held out his arms as if for a hug, then immediately looked awkward about it- flexing his hands as if unsure. "... you!" He exclaimed finally, and Roman snorted.

"My soulmate, Dee."

"I do not do hugs," Deceit said, but Roman nudged him with an elbow, and he rolled his eyes. "Just this once, I will make an exception."

Of course, when Patton did hug him, he found the experience to be far more pleasant than he had expected- pulling the air from his lungs and making him struggle to breathe. All he was able to get out was an "Oh," soft and suckerpunched. He figured out how to hug back, although it took quite the moment.

Patton pulled away, and he almost whined. The prince looked to him, almost confused.

"... I may have lied," he finally acquiesced, and Patton giggled. "I do, in fact, do hugs," and he adjusted the jacket he wore- as if it would do something to keep his dignity intact. "If possible, I would like to do another."

So Patton hugged him again, and this time, Deceit smiled, eyes widening and glimmering as he returned it immediately. Oddly, it made Roman a little jealous- he crossed his arms, lips pouted somewhat outward as his snake practically melted into the prince.

"Alright, I am satisfied," the snake purred happily when a moment had passed, though he cast a curious- almost mischievous glance to Roman that the knight barely caught.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Dee," Patton said as he pulled away, almost instantly pulled against Logan by his waist, and Roman bit his lip to hold back a smile at how annoyed the cat appeared. Apparently Roman hadn't been the only jealous one, though neither Patton nor Deceit seemed to notice. 

"We would love to talk more, but it's very late," Logan murmured, looking very much like he would not love to talk more. "Welcome home again, Roman."

"Good to be home," the bird twittered. "We will talk to you both in the morning, apologies for interrupting your sleep."

"It's fine!" Patton barked out. "I would've been upset if you had come home without telling me."

"Yeah, I thought so- but we're overstaying our welcome." Logan looked like he was ready to growl at the two of them, both arms now wrapped around Patton's waist and face buried against his shoulder. "We'll be in my room."

"Goodnight Roman, and goodnight, Dee!"

"Goodnight, highnesses," Deceit said respectfully, removing his cap to take a deep bow, and Patton giggled openly.

"Oh, you don't need to do that-" Patton started.

"Yes he does," Logan argued, and a look like frustration fluttered for just a moment across Patton's expression before it settled again- but he said nothing.

"Goodnight, Patton. Goodnight, Logan," Roman said, breaking through the tense moment rather quickly and dragging Deceit again out of the room.

There was a lot to dissect about all that, but the snake found he was too exhausted to even consider doing so at that moment.

"So-" he trailed for a moment, glancing to the knights still stood outside the door, and down to where Roman's hand was linked again with his own. "Your room, darling?" He questioned.

A warm feeling rose in Deceit's chest as Roman beamed brilliantly, once again leading the sorcerer away down the castle hallways.


End file.
